A mannequin mimicking average human proportions often used by artists as a good alternative to life drawing. A lay figure is usually made of wood and has metal joints enabling it to create human-like poses. The best of their kind are carefully crafted with all joints articulated – even the knuckles. They may also come in half and full human scale. But cheaper more crudely designed ones are often good alternatives. These are industrially produced in large scale, are about a foot high, portable and easy to place on e.g. a desk. Animal figures are also available with horses being the more commonly available kind.
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