Dave Privett- www.PlaySoup.com

[Buck-Beaver]

Oh i agree and my point is really more general and philosophical and not really about specifically your situation.

I think two of the limitations of the board (and the net in general) is that there is only so much than can be explained in writing (and pictures) and the other is time. For example, there are a couple of tutorials I've been meaning to write for about two years (one of which has to do with proper gluing technique) but I never seem to be able to get around to it.

There's nothing better than attending a course like Privett's and actually seeing something being done with your own eyes and having it explained well. I think that is the real value of a course, and if I was to organize one I would make that the selling point, not learning "secrets". Think of it this way, if you take a college course on anything they don't put silly restrictions on you like. So why should puppet building be any different?

Honestly, I've found that the most talented people in almost any field are also usually the most generous in terms of sharing knowledge and experience because they understand that most things - art, science, technology - get built on the back of what came before. People who try to restrict knowledge and information in their field are often very insecure about their work.

When it comes to puppets, if you look at Dave's puppets, or mine or the puppets of almost anyone else on this board we're all painting on the canvas Jim Henson invented. By all accounts, during his lifetime he had an "open shop" policy and was a very generous with knowledge and information.

I'm not knocking Dave or anyone else, I'm just saying that you should take your cues from the master.

 

[Show and Tell]

Maybe I'm wrong but didn't Henson's staff have to sign contracts stating that they wouldn't share anything they learned about how the puppets were built. And doesn't RavageFrackle often keep certain details about his work to himself? I never meant to open a can of worms here. I just thought people might want to know where the information is available. I know I'd want someone to have told me.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I don't think things are really any big secret. He has patterns for sell. Basically, if you follow his instructions in the pattern, you're learning his method:

http://www.playsoup.com/store/HSHkit.htm

My other suggestion, gang, would be to go buy some patterns online, use those to learn the basics of building, and change them to make other creatures.

 

[shtick]

I think the method being discussed here is the "drawing to puppet" method mentioned before.

 

[PlaySoup]

Where to begin????

Hi everyone.

This is my first post on Muppet Central. (You can blame my wife June... she's been hounding me to do this for awhile.) Part of the reason I've avoided posting to date is that the Muppets in general hold no particular fascination for me, other than as a visual touchstone for many people's understanding of puppetry (and consequently, potential client's understanding of puppetry) and what they believe puppets (and consequently, their puppets) should "look like." They also have really cool plastic figures built under license, but that's another thread entirely.

I wanted to clear up some things posted here, especially concerning the primary patterning technique that I use. Bear with me on the history lesson:

I've been performing since 1971 (when Mom transformed some old towels into a couple of worms), and building since 1978 (when I couldn't afford to purchase a Puppet Productions puppet of my own). Obviously, I had seen the Muppets, and like much of the rest of America enjoyed the Muppet Show on occasion, but I wasn't slavish to their designs. My first original characters were actually carved foam, which unbenownst to me became a integral part of this patterning technique. I didn't start building the "muppet" or "widemouth" look until college, and I began by copying Puppet Productions designs.

The actual technique that I showed Shane at the One Way Street PA Festival was developed in conjunction with Chuck Fawcett at Animax Designs in Nashville, TN. I actually met Chuck through Steve Pennington, another puppeteer and performer with whom I had developed the "SnowBird" character seen around the southeast U.S. in the 80's and 90s. Chuck was a high school kid from St. Louis when Steve and I started a small shop with him that eventually grew into Animax Designs. We were all partners in the company from 1987 to 1995.

Chuck is a fantastically talented designer, and Animax did a number of projects for Kermit Love and Children's Television Workshop (Snuggle bear mechanics, at least one entire bear in the 80s, and lots of international Sesame Street grouches and characters.)

BTW, Henson Associates did have a "black book" of materials and resources that they kept strict control of with their builders. Later on, they became even more secretive. Part of the reason the "Of Muppets and Men" book is sought after is because of the uncensored workshop photos in that book, showing very clearly supposedly "secret" items such as Barge Cement!

Anyway, this patterning technique came out of that, and it was well established by the early 80s. As had already been mentioned, most builders of quality probably have a similar process (after all, if you can't get the shape or the look the client desires, you won't be in business for long, right?). David Pannabecker did come and spent a week with me at Animax in 1995, where I taught him the basics of this technique. David was already a skilled builder, but I'm sure this technique helped him refine his shapes some. I also set up the custom building shop at One Way Street, and they use this technique as well I believe, although most of their custom puppets are variations on patterns I created or that were purchased from Animax.

I do reject the notion that we're all building on just Jim Henson's creativity; Henson himself was building on the creativity of pioneers such as Bill Baird, Burr Tillstrom, Jan Trinka (think "It's a Small World" visuals) and even Tony Sarg in creating this clean simple look of puppet characters. Part of Henson's genius and good timing was in fusing the new fabrics and materials created postwar with the equally new genre of television. I would also argue strongly that the look of Dr. Suess's characters had to inspire Henson and his designs (Mr. Snuffalupagus does look a lot like Horton's grandchild). So you see, to paraphrase Ecclesiastes, "there's nothing new under the sun."

I also needed to correct a misnomer here: I have never charged $1000 for a patterning workshop, especially since I've never done a patterning workshop with this technique. I'd be happy to, and if you'd like one I can schedule time for you to meet me here in Parker, CO!!! I have considered doing a small workshop (4-8 persons), and if enough folks were interested, we could make that happen. Also, Shane did offer to pay me for my time, but I declined.

I do want to help people improve the quality of what they're building, and to do that I'm considering creating a DVD that explicitly shows how to pattern foam with this technique. Anyone interested? It could be out this fall.

Thanks for letting me take up so many bytes.

Happy building,
Dave Privett

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Maybe I'm wrong but didn't Henson's staff have to sign contracts stating that they wouldn't share anything they learned about how the puppets were built.

Oh probably. I mean there's a fine line you have to walk with this stuff. A certain amount of common sense has to be applied. It wouldn't be fair to David to explain every aspect of his courses here without his permission just like it wouldn't be fair to Grey Seal to scan the contents of the foam book and post it online.

If you're a puppet builder I think it's perfectly reasonable to not explain away everything you do because there are people who just take your ideas and set up shop next door as your competition. And if you're employed by a shop - as Ravagefrackle often is - you can't be talking about everything you're doing at work. That's just the way it is.

All I am saying is that if someone is generous enough to share their knowledge, pay it forward. And if you're going to share knowledge don't do it with some kind of "shhh...don't tell anyone" caveat attached.

And, as always, I speaking generally here. Ultimately everyone is entitled to do what they think is right for them. I'm just offering my personal opinion.

 

[Show and Tell]

I apologize. I didn't explain myself well. I didn't mean I paid Dave $1000 for him to train me at the festival. The cost I was refering to was the quote for him to come to Hanover, PA. and have a 3 or 4 day workshop. Dave just told me that because of the great interest he has received since I posted this thread for a puppet designing workshop, he is planning on possibly bumping the production of his video he just spoke of up to this fall. If your interested in learning this technique, drop Dave an email and be patient. Its comming soon!

 

[shtick]

Black Book?

I'm curious to hear more about this "Black Book" on puppet building and this thing about Barge Cement!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I do reject the notion that we're all building on just Jim Henson's creativity; Henson himself was building on the creativity of pioneers such as Bill Baird, Burr Tillstrom, Jan Trinka (think "It's a Small World" visuals) and even Tony Sarg in creating this clean simple look of puppet characters.

In a funny coincidence, I came across a quote from Rick Lyon today that relates to this:

“I am a little weary of hearing puppets designed in the style of the Muppets being dismissed as derivative…no one would dismiss a bunraku style puppet as being derivative. Picasso might have invented cubism, but that does not mean artists who emulated the cubist style lacked originality, or inspiration.”​

And as you point out, Henson was of course building on the work that had precided him.

I still maintain that when you look at most of the TV-style, foam puppets Henson (and by "Henson" I mean not just Jim, but the many artists who worked with him) is far and away the overwhelming influence, but it's an interesting debate.

What I really like about your work is that it's very unique and doesn't really have that classic "Muppety" feel to it which is refreshing. The characters from that "Empowering Kids" series are especially nice.

 

[shtick]

Hear, Hear!