How do you make this nose?

[Snark Blarmsten]

Well, I've been really studying the noses as I watch the Season 1 DVD. I think the noses that I'm thinking about - Beeker, Fozzy - I think they are foam. What do you think? Especially looking at some stills, they look like some kind of dyed foam. Is it possible to 'carve' foam that smoothly? There appears to be no seams at all. On some noses on the muppets that are not round or oval you see seams - but not on these. They look solid somehow. Particularly the front round part - I can't see how that would even be done with material covering something (or filled with polyfill) even if you did pick out the seams...

 

[Buck-Beaver]

If they're foam they could possibly just be nerf balls that have been cut and glued to reshape them.

 

[SJohnson]

Sanding Foam

Well, I've been really studying the noses as I watch the Season 1 DVD. I think the noses that I'm thinking about - Beeker, Fozzy - I think they are foam. What do you think? Especially looking at some stills, they look like some kind of dyed foam. Is it possible to 'carve' foam that smoothly? There appears to be no seams at all. On some noses on the muppets that are not round or oval you see seams - but not on these. They look solid somehow. Particularly the front round part - I can't see how that would even be done with material covering something (or filled with polyfill) even if you did pick out the seams...

Yes, Snark you can carve foam that smoothly. Bob Fappiano, a puppet builder most well know for Timmy the Tooth, (you can see some of his puppets on Puppet Greetings.com) carves foam and sands it with a disk sander. It is quite amazing just how smooth the foam is. Apparently he uses a very fine grit sandpaper and works slowly.

 

[Snark Blarmsten]

Hey, that makes sense Sean. I've seen Timmy. I may just try that!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Sean's quite right about the sanding/carving, but if you can find Nerf balls in the right size and cut a small (or large) wedge out of it and then glue the cut ends together you can do pretty much the same thing with much less effort. I've done it both ways, it really depends on the size/shape nose I need.

I believe someone said Poof-Slinky was a good source of 4" balls

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Sean's quite right about the sanding/carving, but if you can find Nerf balls in the right size and cut a small (or large) wedge out of it and then glue the cut ends together you can do pretty much the same thing with much less effort. I've done it both ways, it really depends on the size/shape nose I need.

I believe someone said Poof-Slinky was a good source of 4" balls

 

[SJohnson]

Using Foam Balls

if you can find Nerf balls in the right size and cut a small (or large) wedge out of it and then glue the cut ends together you can do pretty much the same thing with much less effort.

Andrew's got a good point. When I made the peas for Puppet Greetings I used yellow foam balls that I dyed green. That certainly cut my building time down and it was quite effective. Check them out here: http://swazzle.com/blogs/2006/01/give-peas-chance.html

Which ever way you make the nose please let us know how it goes - hey that rhymes

 

[Snark Blarmsten]

The balls make a lot of sense, I love the Peas Sean - Looking at those, I can see how it could be sliced a bit and made more cylindrical. Sean, where did you find those? I think I will try that.

 

[SJohnson]

Foam Peas

Snark,

Those foam balls are about 12 inches across, so they might be too big for a nose - unless your making a huge puppet. They were bought at walmart. I would check there, or Target, or toy stores, Toys R Us etc. You might also be able to find similar items online.

Sean

 

[ravagefrackle]

try the sporting goods section, most of those store sell small foam practice golf balls, not the soft foam like Nerf, but they are light weight and u can pin ito them,