questions of body

[oneparrot2many]

I am thinking of getting a new Mannequin but what are the pros and cons of plastic and fiberglass? Ty for your help.

[MannequinFan]

Hi oneparrot2many,
Here's a brief list of pros and cons. I'm sure there are many more that could be listed, but these are just the main ones that I've found.

Plastic pros:
Usually a little cheaper than fiberglass.
Some models have arms and heads that can turn.
Can take more abuse since there is no paint to scratch or chip off and will not crack like fiberglass.

Plastic cons:
Somewhat limited pose selection compared to fiberglass.
These mannequins are made out of a recyclable polyethylene plastic which will resist adhesion of glues and paint. Even epoxies or superglue will not work on them.
If you plan on modifying the mannequin these are not the best choice IMO.

Fiberglass pros:
More choices for pose styles.
Can be highly modified using epoxies, bondo, or fiberglass resin/mesh. Adhesives and paint adhere very well.
IMO a fiberglass mannequin is a much better choice if you plan on doing modifications.

Fiberglass cons:
More fragile than plastic. Fiberglass can crack or break with abuse.
Paint can scratch or chip.
On a standard fiberglass mannequin the head and arms usually aren't movable. The arms just hang on the body with a hook type connector.
They do have different fiberglass models that are more articulated but they get much more expensive.