How to start making puppets?

[charlie bird]

I've been working on my 4th puppet on the webseries (Spellfury) and I want him to be a big lad like sweetums, I've been shooting video of the process:

How to Make a Giant Puppet - Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh78i47XdPU

cool !I saw a couple videos on youtube of this before,and I must say youre doing a pretty awsome job with the machanics and stuff.I want to make my puppet in progress have cable controlls but am not quite sure how to do it.It would be great if you could give me some tips on how you set up the bike cables and gave them the cool control thingamajig.
thank you

 

[Lily]

OMG! So much awesome information!! I hope to be posting images of my own puppet soon. Its been a dream of mine to seriously make props and puppets for the creature shop...though I know that's a bit far fetched, no one can make me stop believing except myself...and I refuse to stop!

Thank you all who have posted links and inrofmation on this topic. I'm going to dive right in a see where my creativity takes me from there.

 

[Puppetainer]

Go for it! Another great site to check out is Puppets and Stuff. Lot's of very knowledgeable people only too happy to share and help you along your journey. Best of luck as you embark on your adventure!
Here's the link if you're interested.
http://puppetsandstuff.com/index.php

 

[turkishproverb]

I just wanted to thank you guys for the Link. I've been working on a project for a while, and this helps a great deal.

 

[Friskies]

I am in love with this thread! I'm in the middle of building my own puppet, and I have learned a lot of cool things and tips from this thread alone!

 

[kgCannarile]

Hi everyone,
I discovered this site almost a month ago when I started my first puppet, which still lies in pieces on my desk. I bought the glorified sock puppet pattern and had a question regarding big floppy ears. Something similar to bat or the gremlins ears. How would I attach them to the head without putting to much weight or pull on it. I found a few posts about how to work the ears in with foam but I was a little unsure if the same method would work with sock puppet heads.
Im trying to make this puppet as professional as possible since it will be part of a pitch to a board of directors.
Thanks for all the help!

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

Hi everyone,
I discovered this site almost a month ago when I started my first puppet, which still lies in pieces on my desk. I bought the glorified sock puppet pattern and had a question regarding big floppy ears. Something similar to bat or the gremlins ears. How would I attach them to the head without putting to much weight or pull on it. I found a few posts about how to work the ears in with foam but I was a little unsure if the same method would work with sock puppet heads.
Im trying to make this puppet as professional as possible since it will be part of a pitch to a board of directors.
Thanks for all the help!

Have you tried simply sewing the ears to the head?

 

[Trusty Mutsi]

Hi everyone. I've been looking at this thread for a bit, and I still feel a LITTLE bit overwhelmed. I'd like to start doing puppet shows for my church, and maybe even start a youtube series. I want to puppets to look good, and the shows to be funny for kids AND adults (like the Muppet Show).

I think it would be best to start with a simple puppet. What do you guys think is the best puppet I should start out with, for relatively cheap?

Any feedback is SUPER appreciated!

 

[Puppetainer]

My first suggestion is to head directly to Project Puppet and check out any of their Simple Series patterns. For as little as $19.95 you can get a terrifically useful pattern and some invaluable instruction on the techniques required when working with the required materials! I too spent MANY hours scouring the internet, and the library (anyone remember those?) for anything I could find on how to build puppets. It's true you can find free patterns and information on the internet but if you really want to jump start your education I can't think of a much better way than Project Puppet!

Another great resource is the Puppets & Stuff Forum. Many of the same fine folks who hang out here also check in over there, but for instruction, creative assistance and ideas it's hard to beat Puppets & Stuff. Good luck with your puppet building!

http://www.projectpuppet.com/
http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php

 

[Trusty Mutsi]

My first suggestion is to head directly to Project Puppet and check out any of their Simple Series patterns. For as little as $19.95 you can get a terrifically useful pattern and some invaluable instruction on the techniques required when working with the required materials! I too spent MANY hours scouring the internet, and the library (anyone remember those?) for anything I could find on how to build puppets. It's true you can find free patterns and information on the internet but if you really want to jump start your education I can't think of a much better way than Project Puppet!

Another great resource is the Puppets & Stuff Forum. Many of the same fine folks who hang out here also check in over there, but for instruction, creative assistance and ideas it's hard to beat Puppets & Stuff. Good luck with your puppet building!

http://www.projectpuppet.com/
http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php

Perfect! I was hesitant on the price, but it sounds like it's well worth the investment. The "Glorified Sock Puppet" looks PERFECT for one of the characters I'd like to make. My next character would be an owl. Not sure how I'd handle the mouth on an Owl puppet