Glove Puppet Patterns?

[D'Snowth]

There's plenty of resources out there for patterns regarding rod puppets, but not so much glove puppets, other than one diagram I see floating around for "sag body" puppets (ala Cookie Monster or Rowlf). Does anybody here have any resources or patterns for more humanoid glove puppets like Ernie?

 

[ashkent]

Many of the puppets like Ernie are sometimes called Live Hand puppets...because they have "live" hands in place of stuffed ones I'm guessing.

There aren't actually many differences between live hand and rod puppets that have a human body rather than a large open body like Cookie and Co.

The head and torso tend to be exactly the same, the only difference is that instead of having a foam hand at the end of the arm, you attach what looks like an oversized long glove at somewhere around wrist level, so the hand looks like it is attached to the puppet's arm while your hand is hidden by the "glove" sleeve. I'm not sure how clear that description is.

If you do a google search for behind the scenes photos or have a look on you tube at some of the videos you will see it better...particularly puppets like Ernie or The Count. Also, if you watch videos of Ernie you will notice that most of the time you see only his fingertips and occasionally what would be the knuckle area which is basically because if you saw any more then you would see the sleeve that the puppeteer's arm is in. There are some good behind the scenes photos on google of Jim and Frank working Ernie and similar...they will give you the best idea.

There is a pattern for the arms/hands available from Project Puppet, but to be honest, it is a hand shape on the end of an arm sleeve...a bit trial and error will soon lead to a decent hand, and you can always play around with it and add extra fingers or take fingers off etc. Best way I have found is to just have fun with it.

 

[D'Snowth]

The head and torso tend to be exactly the same

Really? Because their torsos, to me, look as if they have a more distinct shape than that or rod puppets - almost like a more human-esque shape with defined shoulders and such. But like you said, I guess as with anything else,it's all trial and error.

 

[ashkent]

Ah, I get what you mean. I think the sketches with Ernie in the bath probably show the shoulder shape best...like this one.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hiMgAj1p68A/hqdefault.jpg

There is a pattern that someone created and posted on a facebook site. I can't access it now but when I am home in a few hours I will look it up and post it.
Basically though...if you imagine the shape of a t-shirt without the sleeves, that is the shape of the front and back pieces to make that kind of body. The arms are then stuffed, which you can kind of the see in some of the Ernie bath shots when the arms look saggy and limp at the shoulder join.

 

[ashkent]

This is the link to the body... there are also some other good head patterns on there.

http://www.youppets.com/puppet-patterns-recopilation-recopilacion-de-patrones-de-marionetas/

 

[D'Snowth]

Thanks a lot, this certain gives me an idea of what to work with.

 

[Bear Man]

Happy to share the glove portion of my puppets I've developed. As a note of explanation this is 2-piece pattern for a four-fingered puppet, the thumb is attached separately to the cut-out section...obviously you would only make an incision on one half of the fabric!

 

[ashkent]

Happy to share the glove portion of my puppets I've developed. As a note of explanation this is 2-piece pattern for a four-fingered puppet, the thumb is attached separately to the cut-out section...obviously you would only make an incision on one half of the fabric!

I really like the thumb positioning on this one. I have only done a few live hand puppets so have never had much chance to play around with the glove hand pattern I use. The position you have created here though looks really natural.

 

[D'Snowth]

I wouldn't have even thought to do that. I've made a glove hand before for a puppet (that way I didn't have to build an entire new puppet, just slip the puppet's hand into a slot in the glove and pin into place), but just a completely flat pattern.

I take it those little squiggles along the edge is seam allowance?

 

[Bear Man]

Thanks, ashkent!

Not seam allowance - it's the fold line. Below is a terribly untidy "full" pattern