Miss Piggy Puppet Instructions ?

[Muppet Loverr]

Soo i dont know how many time this topic was created, but i would like this one to be as a referance for me. So i'm an OBESSED Miss Piggy fan, so i am wondering how i could create a likeness of my own. I have seen some of your amazing Miss Piggy's here on this forum, so i know the you amazing MuppetFans have the abilities to help.

I am looking for all the information consiting of the following :
~ What i should use to make a mold
~ What i should use to carve out the mold
~ How i would go about making a casting
And anything eles, i should know.

And i am just assuming you guys use latex foam (and all that good stuff) ; If you guys just use foam and cover the face with fleece then explain, how you guys do that.

(And of your welling to sell your likeness to me, i would love to buy it from you and add it too my " Miss Piggy Shrine " (message me with any question and details) PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

 

[practicecactus]

I believe the first Miss Piggy was carved out of foam, and only the newer look Piggys are made from a mould for consistency. I wouldn't go with the latter because not only are there more steps, but you'd have to get into making your own foam, and really moulds are mainly for making multiples of something. If you're going to have to sculpt a Piggy head to then make a mould from, you might as well skip those stages and just carve it out of foam.
I think the first Piggy was covered by flocking, but could be covered with antron fleece.

 

[muppetguy]

Soo i dont know how many time this topic was created, but i would like this one to be as a referance for me. So i'm an OBESSED Miss Piggy fan, so i am wondering how i could create a likeness of my own. I have seen some of your amazing Miss Piggy's here on this forum, so i know the you amazing MuppetFans have the abilities to help.

I am looking for all the information consiting of the following :
~ What i should use to make a mold
~ What i should use to carve out the mold
~ How i would go about making a casting
And anything eles, i should know.

And i am just assuming you guys use latex foam (and all that good stuff) ; If you guys just use foam and cover the face with fleece then explain, how you guys do that.

(And of your welling to sell your likeness to me, i would love to buy it from you and add it too my " Miss Piggy Shrine " (message me with any question and details) PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

I would LOVE to see your Miss Piggy Shrine. Do you have any pictures posted somewhere? Did you pick up any of the Tonner Piggy Dolls? They are all equisite and have them all!

 

[Muppet Loverr]

I would be proud to show it too you. I will snap a picture of it soon. And i dont actually trust myself with the Tonner Dolls, because i have a little 3year old running around. aha .

But @ practicecactus, (thank you btw) should i use a big block of foam, should i use foam sheets. , and how doo i cover it correctly with out it looking cut up and swen up. ?

 

[practicecactus]

Well if you're new to this puppet making thing, you could start with a basic shape like a sphere and glue on pieces and carve away at it that way. If it's going to be covered you don't have to worry about glue seams and things. You'd have to shop around for a foam block large enough for piggy's head otherwise.
As for covering it with Antron and hiding seams I'm afraid I haven't worked with antron yet, so you'd have to ask someone more experienced with that, but there are ways to hide seams with certain stitches. It'd take some work making all those curves of her face, but certainly not impossible.

 

[wes]

i have read up on the process, it's very involved, Look up mold and cast making...also Foam latex.

You have to scuplt piggy's Head, then make a mold from the sculpture with high streght plaster.

Then get the chemical which is a two part mixture that you have to airate with a regular Mixer, then injected into the mold you have made and bake it at very high tempartuer....which the baking of this foam produces high amounts of amonia gas so you can't do it in your regular oven. and your need a respirator.

check it out If you can get all this stuff and have a place to do it....It could make some awesome puppets.

oh and i forgot the skin preperation for the puppet once it's done, flocking it or painting it.

I have seen the stuff on how to do it but it has been a while, it's to involved for me right now.

Here it is: http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/building/index.html

Scroll down to Insrcutions and tutorials...

 

[wes]

this may help too: http://web.archive.org/web/20000307122229/http://www.snapdragonpuppets.com/makepuppet.html

 

[MuppetLabsBoy]

As far as using a block of foam to sheet foam, the block of foam will be a lot heavier when you are done. I like carving my heads better than using sheets because then I can keep cutting into the foam and not go all the way through. You probably should use the sheet foam to create individual parts of the head and glue them together (similar to Grey Seal Puppets' three piece head), and add the snout later like practicecatus had said.

Using antron fleece and having no seams show can be a little tricky. If you are okay with some little seams, you could just use hot glue. The closer you get the hot glue to the edge of the fabric, the smaller the seam will be. You can also use some of the antron fuzz to cover up to seams. One thing with hot glue though, don't put to much gkue on the antron because then it comes out of the seams and you'll have small glue globs on your puppet.
As for sewing the antron, I don't do it to much because I carve most of puppets so that they can be one of a kind. But, if you are going to sew the antron and you have a pattern from making the foam head, you just need to add 1/2'' all around it and sew it the same way you would glue it together. Here are some helpful antron sewing stiches. If you follow the instructions the seam shouldn't be that noticable.
http://www.projectpuppet.com/Page.bok?template=useful-stitches-tutorial
Hope that helps.

I would be proud to show it too you. I will snap a picture of it soon. And i dont actually trust myself with the Tonner Dolls, because i have a little 3year old running around. aha .

But @ practicecactus, (thank you btw) should i use a big block of foam, should i use foam sheets. , and how doo i cover it correctly with out it looking cut up and swen up. ?

Well if you're new to this puppet making thing, you could start with a basic shape like a sphere and glue on pieces and carve away at it that way. If it's going to be covered you don't have to worry about glue seams and things. You'd have to shop around for a foam block large enough for piggy's head otherwise.
As for covering it with Antron and hiding seams I'm afraid I haven't worked with antron yet, so you'd have to ask someone more experienced with that, but there are ways to hide seams with certain stitches. It'd take some work making all those curves of her face, but certainly not impossible.

 

[TML]

Take a look at this ...

http://www.smooth-on.com/gallery.php?galleryid=325&cPath=1286

 

[HamHock]

I also need some help on Piggy

1. Is carving a head difficult?

2. What are Piggy's eyes made of?

3. Where would I find stuff for the rods?

Also, could someone post pics of Piggys people have made before on this forum?