Big Bulky Characters

When I'm building big, bulky characters like the Frog Family who have very limited movement and don't have to walk on legs or carry things, I usually don't use armatures. Armatures are skeletons that help support the character, and I usually build them out of wire and epoxy putty. If there is no major limb-movement, but I still want to have a little support for the various appendages, I'll use toothpicks. Most of my characters have tons of toothpicks in them, I love to use them. I also build up most of the body mass with dirty clay and cover it with clean clay of the right color for the exterior. This is a great way to recycle used clay, and save time when you have to mix your own color (which can be tough and time-consuming) by only making enough to cover the outside.