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Look up an old puppetry technique called "Czech Curtain of Light" (sometimes called "Black Theatre"). It's the same idea as blue/green screen puppetry, but uses black. The puppeteers dress in black against black and the lights are carefully placed so that there's a thin strip (or "curtain") of...

I use Baby Gap (and similar stores) a lot too and Build-A-Bear for smaller stuff, but I find a lot of costumes have to be custom-made so I am working with a seamstress a lot now.

Just got an email from Dave Maurer, who directed "Cobblestone Way" saying he's put the entire film up on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82kfvymX7Og

I saw this cat on Flickr and loved it. I ran in to similar problem with some penguins I have been working on. Small puppets with heads to small to fit a hand in. I hate building rod mechs so the mouth is operated by inserting your index finger in to the head which sounds similar to what you've...

I saw this cat on Flickr and loved it. I ran in to similar problem with some penguins I have been working on. Small puppets with heads to small to fit a hand in. I hate building rod mechs so the mouth is operated by inserting your index finger in to the head which sounds similar to what you've...

I don't know where photos of it are, but the Disney Parks did a whole "Little Mermaid" black light show with puppets. There was one based on Lion King too I think (different than the Broadway musical).

I love the clever use of scale with the ant puppet. The back and forth close-ups between the ant and the bear are really well shot, especially in the first half of the film. If people like this, they'd probably enjoy "Cobblestone Way". Maybe a good opportunity for a DVD plug Sean? Hint, hint. ;)

The most important thing to do is pick up and puppet and perform. For your friends, for your family, in the mirror, doing shows at schools and birthday parties, whatever. Grab a webcam, a puppet, and make a show. Just be creative. Even if you're worried you might not be very good at first, look...

Maybe all the videos can be hosted on YouTube and there can be a 10 second YouTube group so they're all in one place?

If you're using the right gage of wire that shouldn't be necessary. If you did anneal the wire, be sure it's completely cooled before it comes in contact with the foam. Foam melts easily and emits toxic fumes when heated beyond it's melting point.

My Guide to Puppet Building Resources which got taken offline last year when I began slowly (very slowly) reworking my Bear Town site is back online and has been updated. It's by no means comprehensive, but for any of the newer users to the site who want a general guide to information on the...

Grant Harding (I can't remember his handle here on MC) has done a really cool, really simple articulated hand. There is a post about it here somewhere if you want to do some searching and the video is online at http://www.youtube.com/?v=1Dz3bhDwwKQ There's also diagrams for a decent cable...

What is "anneal"?

Putting in on Google video or YouTube would be great. Let me know and I'll post links in my blog as well, so other people can see it.

Like Phantom says, the outside wire just help the hand hold position better. This particular technique works best in my experience if you use contact cement and not hot glue.

Sean's quite right about the sanding/carving, but if you can find Nerf balls in the right size and cut a small (or large) wedge out of it and then glue the cut ends together you can do pretty much the same thing with much less effort. I've done it both ways, it really depends on the size/shape...

Sean's quite right about the sanding/carving, but if you can find Nerf balls in the right size and cut a small (or large) wedge out of it and then glue the cut ends together you can do pretty much the same thing with much less effort. I've done it both ways, it really depends on the size/shape...

There's some cool stuff that's pretty light a fellow on the puptcrit mailing list is often promoting that might do the trick. I don't have the name handy, but I'll try to find it and post it.

One way of doing round bodies is the wedge method. It's covered in detail if you search the forum for past threads about it, but basically it's cutting 6-8 wedges (imagine a round object like an orange cut in to pieces). To make a perfectly round ball cut 8 wedges exactly the same size that are...

At the puppet shop where I worked several years ago they never used spray adhesive for gluing foam to foam because they found it didn't hold as well as contact cement gel. They only used it for foam-to-fabric applications. If you do use spray adhesive both objects you're gluing have to have...