help with hand sticks!!!

[miz]

hi all!
i'm making my first puppet and I'm in trouble ....
can anyone help me? how are the sticks for moving hands called? which kind of material are made of? how do you you suggest to use them? are they flexible or rigid?

I''m also making a horse but I need your suggestions.
description: it's a horse seated on a bench (seated like a man) with a long body (1 mt) and a long head (40 cm) with a small mouth. the shape is very simple, picture it like a reversed "L".
how can I reach the mouth with my hand? I don't have a 1 mt long arm!!!! well, maybe I need help with the head structure.

please please reply

thank youuuuu
ciaoooooo from italy!!!
miz

 

[wes]

Miz,
there called arm-rods, you can make them from coat hangers. or you can go to your local Hard ware store (home depot or lowes) here in the states, go to the section where the angel iron is and get rods that are a little bit more heavy duty.

as far as a horse puppet, look around this site and view the picture of other folks puppet and play around with it.

 

[miz]

Miz,
there called arm-rods, you can make them from coat hangers. or you can go to your local Hard ware store (home depot or lowes) here in the states, go to the section where the angel iron is and get rods that are a little bit more heavy duty.

as far as a horse puppet, look around this site and view the picture of other folks puppet and play around with it.

thank you a lot wes!
I got your message! at last I know how the sticks are called!
(even if I still don't know what angel iron is..)

I had a look at the instructions to attach the arm-rod to the wrist, but I don't understand how can I hide the rubber bands, if my puppet is bright yellow.
and what about the black wire which you still can see on the other side of the wrist?
i'm sorry if they sound like stupid question but I have no clue about it.

thank you again
miz

 

[wes]

miz,
here's a aite to help you out:http://www.puppet-planet.com/buildyourown.htmlscroll do and check out all the rod arm links.

 

[CPR PUPPET]

I have used coat hangers before. If you bend one end like a hair pin then use that to pinch the wrist area(slide it downward over the wrist. keep it snug but dont tear your fabric. bend a slight J shape away from the hair pin shape) you can achieve good movement. I now use suspended cieling wire for hand controles and instal doll joints in the hand of the puppet, then hook it in.
As far as your horse, perhaps instead of going up through the puppet you can go through the back. If your horse sat near a backdrop have it close enough to use the backdrop as cover and cut a slit in it aligned with the puppet.

 

[TheCreatureWork]

Arm rods and such

Coat hangers should do the trick- bend one end, so there is a loop to it. Then pass the rod with the loop through the wrist of the puppet, up to the puppets thumb. Sew in place. You may have to bend the rod a bit to acommidate the wrist- depending on the length of hand. The bottom of the rod can be wooden dowel or you can fashion (as indicated in "The Foam Book") a wire handle by bending the existing rod ending. If you are a perfectionist, spray paint the rod black first for a finished look.

 

[TheCreatureWork]

Oh ya, I once used two old aluminum handles from a set of high end badminton rackets. They were great! Light, and were already painted black. They are a little thicker than most rods but what do you expect for free I guess. They ended up "out living" one puppet already...hey come to think of it they'll probably out live me too!

 

[TheCreatureWork]

I noticed that I was on post 99...this will make 100...go figure!...sorry to take the thunder away from your question miz. ...continue conversation...

 

[miz]

thank you CPR PUPPET and CREATURE WORK!!!

 

[miz]

now that you guys gave me those informations I can keep on building.
every day it's more and more exciting!

thanks

miz and her HORSE