For articulated pieces, he designed a paste that would dry in a material dense enough that fasteners and hinges could be fixed, or include metal frames for larger models. The molds used in that case were in a metal alloy. Workers would line them with a paper and cardboard shell, consisting of only 3 to 4 layers, then fill them with the paste, called "terre" = earth, made of flour glue, shredded paper, shredded oakum, chalk and cork powder, the latter said to be the crucial ingredient in the mix. The mold was then closed and placed under a press to compact the paste and spread it into the finest details. The dried pieces were then completed with details such as veins, arteries and nerves made of fabric-covered metal wires, equipped with closing hooks, painted, labelled, varnished and assembled.