Modeling advice for my ghost opossum bjd

Hi everyone! So, this is the very first steps of me planning a bjd I hope to eventually print on a 3d resin printer. I am currently learning 3d modeling and I know it will take me several months to be happy with the sculpt. That being said, I am in the planning stages and wanted some advice on a certain part of this model.

Backstory: This character is Harold, a ghost opossum sort of witch/monk kinda character. She is based off of a real opossum skeleton I found and reassembled myself. I always draw this character wearing a robe and the body under the robe is supposed to be unknown, and implied to just be ghosty, horrific, or some kind of black hole situation.

The main thing I wanted to discuss with the sculpt is that this character floats, and I want to keep the illusion of the character floating. Once I make the robe for her, whatever it covers up under the robe would make the robe drape more than if it were just an opossum body lying on the ground.

So far, my idea was to have some sort of support coming off of the mid body section, which should be something more horror/spooky/ghost-like but not legs. I'm hoping to do part of the body in a clear resin. My problem is that I sacrifice poseability for support with this sort of system, but would like ideas on how I can compromise in this sense.

I hesitate to include strung leg-like extensions like many of the "insect-like" bjd models I see, as I don't want to have an overcomplicated stringing system for if I do eventually make a limited run of this character to sell at conventions or whatnot.

Below are a few sketches that I hope can illustrate what I am thinking. The body is supposed to be longer than normal proportionally, and I thinking something just short of of DollZone's Yin Long in terms of body length (obviously extensive changes but using that as inspiration for the stunted back legs and long body). The last drawing that is more elaborate is more to explain the shapes I'm going for but wouldn't likely do something that big for the sculpt.

Here is a link for if the photos don't work.

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Please let me know any ideas you might have for how I can make some spooky supportive offshoots to the sculpt!

 

Also, I did try to search for doll models or sculptures that might have some sort of "float" illusion going on, but search engines got me nowhere. Anything that might remind you of an existing unusual model could help me with construction ideas! I still want the character to be posable but want that extra height so it isn't sitting on the ground.

 

Thank you both for the suggestions! I'll keep those in mind. I'm sure I'll go through many iterations of the design/model and might end up doing something on the display end rather than the construction end to achieve the look I want. Hadn't actually thought of that option lol, so thanks!

 

A little update; I think I was overcomplicating things a little. If I orient the doll more vertically and have him sort of sit up, then I think that would look okay for when the doll isn't on a stand; I've drawn the character like this before so I think it'd look just fine that way. Looking at this one photo of the Yin Long blush options made me think it could work, and I think for now I'll go with a more upright pose rather than horizontal floating orientation. But, floating with the help of an "invisible" stand would be great for when he's just on display.

I did a few more little sketches today, which I will post here and then it might not work so here is the link (also includes the DollZone Yin Long picture I mentioned).

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Oh, thanks you two! I've just started learning sculpting and am starting out modeling another opossum character of mine who is more conventional, but that's going well and I definitely plan to undertake this project. If I can figure out a good way to manufacture him, I would like to do a limited run, but haven't looked into doing that yet since it would be far off from now. Looking forward to sharing my progress here, at any rate