How to start making puppets?

[Buck-Beaver]

Welcome to the Forum Dave!

 

[jacobsnchz]

Ask BabyScooter!! He's a member of the MC Forum!!

 

[SJohnson]

I think you might find my blog Puppet 101 helpful: http://swazzle.com/blogs/puppet101.html It’s all about puppet building, and it includes step by step instructions. Good luck.

 

[pretzel]

I am making a full size mascot and wonder what is the best way to support the head? It's a dog, with a large snout that pulls it down in front. Plus I need the area to see through. So far I have covered a cylindrical piece of chicken wire with some netting over it and have the tongue attached at the bottom. Any ideas?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

There are some good mascot links available at http://werevarmint.timduru.org/wvhow2.htm

This article might also be helpful.

A word of advice - do not use chicken wire in a head. It can eventually poke through and serious injur or even blind someone. Mascot heads are usually best carved from styrofoam or patterned from polyfoam.

 

[JimJudy]

Hi Charly, welcome to the forum.

I've written two articles that may be helpful as a starting point, a guide to puppet building resources that includes lots of information on puppet building books, kits, videos and links to web sites with lots of information.

I've also written a tutorial on foam puppet construction (the way I do it anyway) called The Tumbles P. Bear Project.

I hope that is helpful.

Thanks buck,I needed that.

 

[MuppetMarc]

Are there any stores that are not online you can go to for foam? Being 14 I would have to beg my parents to buy me some from the internet.

 

[RubbeRoomStudio]

as far as the "scotts foam", i haven't been able to find any in my area, but you can't go wrong asking around, or grabbing a phone book and looking for foam suppliers...

if you are looking to put a covering on your puppets, but not dye them; i have found some 1/2 in. polyfoam at jo-ann fabrics... although not the best, and the fact that it is blue, it gets the job done... for me, anyway...
hope this helps

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Wal-Mart sells small-ish sheets of reticulated foam as air conditioning filters for a buck or two. Not sure of the width, but I think it is almost a 1/2" thick (check before you buy to make sure it's not too thin). It can usually be found in the hardware section.

 

[ravagefrackle]

go to Sean's website , PUPPET 101, several tutorils availiblke, and check out Bucks wensite, and Project puppet lots of helpful links for beginers.

http://swazzle.com/blogs/puppet101.html

http://swazzle.com/blogs/puppetdesign.html

http://puppetvision.blogspot.com/

http://projectpuppet.com/