Foam Head/Filling

[AveQ]

Hello,
I'm working on a replica of Nicky from Avenue Q (w/o puppet pattern, sadly ), and for the head I was wondering if it was better to go in this direction and just fully carve the foam head,like here (BTW, is that scott foam that they're using?) or just cut pieces of polyurethane foam and stuff the puppet with them (like here). I'm afraid that the stuffing method won't work as well as the carving method. Where can I get a block of foam like that so I can make that shape?

Thank you very much!

 

[practicecactus]

I don't think that first one is carved. The seam down the side would indicate they're flat sheets cut and glued in a way to make the curves.
I can't see the video at the moment though, for some reason.
Carving does allow you to ease your way into a specific shape and size against reference photos and drawings but given the relatively simple shape of the head without any details, sheet foam is probly the way to go.

 

[Jinx]

Your first example was not carved from a single piece, but is made from flat sheets glues together. You can even see the seam on the left side. This one in particular appears to be made of reticulated foam and looks an awful lot like the three piece method described in Gray Seal Puppet's The Foam Book. This would be an excellent place to start, particularly if you don't have a lot of experience working with foam and want to learn the basics.

 

[charlie bird]

Hi avQ I saw this and I was hoping it would help.It is a group of people who are making a low budjet film and used carved foam to make the puppets.They posted all aboute how they did it ang I thoughte it would would help.
Here are the foam heads
http://www.frowntown.net/2009/10/05/gallery-of-fully-carved-foam-faces/
here they are puting on the fleece
http://www.frowntown.net/2009/10/28/skinning-the-puppet-children/
and here are the final results
http://www.frowntown.net/2010/01/22/severed-heads-finished-faces/
thank you

 

[AveQ]

Thanks everyone, it really helped a lot! How would I go about gluing the foam sheets together? Would a hot glue gun do the trick? Or would an adhesive like 3M Super 77 be the right direction to go? Here are some pictures of what I have in mind for the chin, using a spare piece of reticulated foam that I found. Is that in the right direction as well? I really hope I start getting the hang of this soon !

Thanks for the link Jinx, I'm REALLY low on money right now, I still have to go purchase the fleece and foam, if I have any remaining money for the budget I put aside, I'll be sure to pick up the Foam Book!

Also, thanks for the link to those really cool puppets! Unfortunately, here in PA, we don't have couches just on the side of the road xD ! I wish we did though!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Melonpool]

Contact Cement is what I like to use -- just make sure you use it in a well-ventilayted area (or better -- outdoors). I like to pour a little bit into a paper plate and dab it onto the ends of the foam sheet with a scrap piece of foam. You have to dab it onto both ends you want to join, let it dry and then put the pieces together (this is actually how you're suppoed to use Rubber Cement as well). If you need to adjust them, you can heat it up with a hair dryer and pull them apart and re-apply.

You can pick up small bottles of Contact Cement at hardware stores like Home Depot. On small bottle is usually rnough for a puppet.

 

[FeLo]

Those puppets are amazing carved out of the solid foam how would you go about doing that? and also how would you go about making a pattern for the fleece to go over the top?

 

[AveQ]

Thanks Melonpool! When I go out to get my list of supplies I'll be sure to pick some contact cement up.

FeLo, I think it's just shears/scissors used precisely.

 

[charlie bird]

hi fellow,
what they usually do is draw on the front, both sides ,and back of the foam cube is they draw how they want it to look.And then they carve away at it with an electric turkey carving knife until they get they basic shape and do the details with scisors.For the fleece they spray spray adhessive on it and stretch it on the front of the face and then press it down ''lightly!''to avoid watter marks.stretch the fleece towad the back of the head and pin it and cut off the ecess.Then sew it on tightly .
I hope this helps

 

[AveQ]

So.. I got everything, cut a piece of foam, and now I'm stuck. I guess I'm trying to make up my own 3 piece method now, and it's not working. Looks like I have to spend the extra $40 now for the Foam Book DVD, and wait some more. Any ideas/suggestions on where to start?