• Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
    You are viewing our forum as a guest. Join our free community to post topics and start private conversations. Please contact us if you need help.
  • Sesame Street Season 55
    Sesame Street Season 55 has premiered on Max with new episodes each Thursday. Watch and let us know your thoughts.
  • Jim Henson Idea Man
    Remember the life. Honor the legacy. Inspire your soul. The new Jim Henson documentary "Idea Man" is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.
  • Back to the Rock Season 2
    Fraggle Rock Back to the Rock Season 2 has premiered on AppleTV+. Watch the anticipated new season and let us know your thoughts.
  • Bear arrives on Disney+
    The beloved series has been off the air for the past 15 years. Now all four seasons are finally available for a whole new generation.
  • Sam and Friends Book
    Read our review of the long-awaited book, "Sam and Friends - The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show" by Muppet Historian Craig Shemin.

Are there "Unwritten" rules to being a builder?

JacobsBest

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
58
Reaction score
12
I am a new builder. I started this spring and have been enthusiastically attempting to learn everything I possibly can from the wonderfully helpful people I have encountered here and on the interwebs in general.
I thought it would be fun to post pictures of my works in progress and techniques to photobucket. However, I am getting a vibe such as this is not acceptable to do and is akin to a magician divulging their trades secrets. Is this so? Am I effectively ostracizing myself from more experienced builders? I finally feel as though I have a creative outlet and I only wanted to share my creative output.
 

Buck-Beaver

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
4,174
Reaction score
162
Wherefrom are you getting this vibe?

You can absolutely post "work-in-progress" photos if you want to. Lots of artists do that. As for "trade secrets" if you've been building for less than a year I doubt you're doing anything that others haven't thought of. Post whatever you feel like sharing.

Years ago, some builders used to jealously hoard information to protect themselves financially out of fear, but the Internet disrupted that thanks in large part to forums like this where builders openly shared ideas. That's not to say that you have to tell everyone how you do everything, but without places like this and open sharing it would be a lot harder for people to learn how to build puppets in the first place.
 

JacobsBest

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
58
Reaction score
12
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am not encountering this problem here. I was however being mentored by an experienced builder for some time this year, but shortly after establishing my Photo-bucket account I got the cold shoulder. Knowing, as you mentioned how some people "hoard" their techniques, I was concerned that I had done something wrong. At any rate, I am satisfied with your take on the situation and will continue to share my learning experiences.
 

Buck-Beaver

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
4,174
Reaction score
162
Well, you would have to of course discuss that with the person who is mentoring you.

Despite what I said above, if you are being mentored by someone one-on-one and then posting a lot of what they are teaching you online I could understand how that would irk them. It's a good idea in a situation like that to ask first, simply out of courtesy and respect.
 
Top