Creating Doglion Puppet/Costume

[TommyTheMad]

The Doglion costume will happen, but after pricing everything out, I'm going to have to do some more sculpting gigs to put away some cashola. I got a conservative estimate, and let me tell you, as a guy who just got into making this sort of thing, it was a shock.

I made a full suit of Doctor Doom Armor, wearable, for less than $250.00. Did all the work myself making it. Not a bad deal. I figured how expensive could fake fur be? Well, Now that I know, I'm even more amazed at the work puppet makers put into their pieces.

I want to make a working replica of the Doglion Costume, and have pretty well figured out most of the mechanics of it. It's the coming up with the cash to buy the fur is the main issue right now.

I recently made kermits (plural), and after seeing how much time and effort goes into one of them, I found that I thoroughly enjoy this moreso than the conventional sculpture work I've done for the last 12 years.

Gordon is a friend and he can attest to what lengths I go to for my work, but seeing what he does, and then doing a bit of it myself, I have an even bigger appreciation for what I've seen.

He can also attest to my uncanny ability to respond to e-mails without getting them, via the telephone, but that is a different story.

The people I've seen on this forum, with their various puppets have impressed me and inspired me. This is a wonderful forum, and I'm very thankful that there are people who are willing to share information.

 

[ploobis]

Must agree -
This forum is a great place.

It sure is!

 

[TommyTheMad]

Well, I got my copy of The Foam Book. Going to read through it a bit today. We're doing pizza with friends tonight. After I've had a chance to persuse it, I'll hopefully post some pics of my kermits.

 

[JDAmato]

I would suggest looking at some faux fur solutions and nailing down a pattern that really makes efficient use of the long hair. In a lot of cases you can actually use different (read: less expensive) hair for less visible/important parts of the puppet. As everyone else has said, fur is expensive! Good luck, post pictures when they come!

 

[TommyTheMad]

I have already given that a lot of thought. The pattern isn't made yet, but I do have ideas on how to do the head assembly and that's really the hardest part.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Actually , Dog Lion is covered in Real Fur, i belive its a long Haired LAmbs wool, or Alpaca,

Sheep skin.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I just got off the phone with National Fiber, and they're going to send me some samples. The customer service is AWESOME.

I highly recommend them.

I am going to be so tickled to get this costume started.

Can you please list their contact information here:
http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=21416

It's a resource thread for puppeteers to share information.

 

[CBPuppets]

I have found some interesting piece of information about Doglion on Muppet Wiki.

The name "Doglion" was previously used in a storyboard for a Wilkins Coffee commercial, drawn by Jim Henson in the late 1950's. This script features Wontkins being eaten by a Wilkins-drinking creature, which is described in Henson's notes as a "monstrous dog-lion-beast".

 

[TommyTheMad]

According to the folks at National Fiber, Henson was very animal friendly, and that they didn't use animal hides, now this comes from one of the people who works there, who might not know what they're talking about. In all honesty, I don't really see Henson or anyone else associated with that group using real animal hides and stiching them together, especially when there's a distinct pattern on the back, to the effect of stripes.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

According to one of the art-pieces Jim drew that is in the travelling show, currently in Little Rock, it shows sheep skin for Doglion's costume. Or, it could have been for Sweetums' costume. It was definitely listed.