Homemade Grover at eBay

[scarylarrywolf]

It looks like a good attempt at Grover. Does anyone know how long this guy's been making puppets?

I used to use coatwire all the time, until I fell in love with welding rods. Coat wire always chipped more for me in my experience. Do you guys paint it or something? Does that work better?

 

[rtgentry]

Okay guys I will throw the cheap hanger in for free....

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I think the idea behind excluding the arm rod would be because he advertised it as being used to entertain children. If you hand a young child a puppet with an arm rod that could quite easily gouge out one's eye... yeah, that might not be so very good.

Go play with a knife or something, kid.

Oh, and, I have used coat hangers too. hehe. They work pretty good.

That's a very good point. I hadn't thought of that. I wasn't trying to be mean about the rod, it just struck me as a funny statement "Does not include arm rod." Like an arm rod was an option like you'd have for a car.

*Buck resolves to stop mocking ebay auctions*

 

[zoetrope]

I think that's the real problem I have with it. If you say pro, your work better look pro, because that's the standard you've set. For someone at home goofing with puppets, it's very good. For "pro", it's so so.

By the way, I emailed him to see if he has any original puppets for sale. He said he had originals but was waiting to see how this sale went before listing the others.

 

[Super Scooter]

*Buck resolves to stop mocking ebay auctions*

... uh-huh. Suuuuuuuuuuure!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I've seen worse. Still, the original commercially made puppet that's that same size wasn't $75. He's cheating himself by starting the bids at so high a price.

 

[DPuppets]

*Buck resolves to stop mocking ebay auctions*

I must agree with Buck here. I don't post alot on here but it seems that we are so easy to judge someones puppet they have built Muppet or just their on style. It sure seemed to me just a week or so ago when the other Muppet stuff came up everyone seemed to bash and yet then it all seem to turn around when he came on to the board. I agree in constructive remarks but...when that person is not on the board then they are not too constructive in my opinion. I see alot of people on this board that post pics of their puppets and we give some great comments and yet others who we find on ebay and other places who are not member we mock and things. Just my two cents worth. Even if you agree or disagree with selling your creation of a muppet on Ebay...no need to bash and talk about how bad it is. I think it would be helpful if someone would email that person and let them know about the board and give them some comment to help improve their work.

 

[zoetrope]

everyone seemed to bash

I didn't think anyone was bashing in this thread, and that certainly wasn't my intention. I hope no one took it that way. I do think if someone says their puppet is "pro" they are setting themselves up for criticism, and selling (illegal) Muppet copies on Ebay is probably not the best idea, but it's a better Grover than I could make.

You can learn a lot by copying the work of those you admire, most artists learn this way. But I'd rather see this guy's original stuff, which is why I emailed him.

 

[DPuppets]

Maybe bash is not the best word but...still if we can't say anything good to help that person build a better then why say anything at all. And whats makes a person a pro or even a professional. If you guide it by the primary puppets that are under pro puppets it is just as good...look at professional puppets under ebay. I just don't feel that it is good criticism when we say it on here and not to that person. I commend you that you did email him your thoughts...which I think is what needs to be done.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

You know it's not a bad looking puppet and kudos for making a point of actually putting "Homemade" in the item name. Although auctions like these are technically against ebay's TOS there's absolutely no attempt here to mislead potential buyers in to thinking it's something that it's not which we've seen occasionally in the past.

Also - someone please correct me if I'm wrong - but anyone listing puppets they've made on ebay should specify that they are not a toy because I believe you have to pass certain safety tests to sell an item as a toy in the United States. I believe puppets are subject to the "Stuffed Articles Act" or some such law if they're sold as toys. Selling them as a professional item or "theatrical prop" (which I've done in the past) means you can still sell them to whoever wants them and you're also probably covering your butt legally in case (God forbid) an eye pops off and chokes someone.