Latex puppets

[ravagefrackle]

i agree with buck, start small, so that you dont get to discouraged when the first few pulls you make dont come out that great, it will help you learn were to avoid undercuts, and limit air bubbles as well.

 

[Iokitek]

I'm planning on starting out simple. But I need some stuff first and the art supply store is closed for the holidays. I need some styrofoam balls. And I want some specific advice from the woman who works there.

The latex I got was just standard latex in a small bottle. It's enough for a slip cast try out. And it only cost about US$7 so that's ok if I mess up atfirst. I've been checking out prices on smooth-on and McLaughlin foam and those are really expensive. I'm not going to purchase any of those products until I'm sure how to work with them.

I've seen Axtell's 'making of' page pop up every now and then. I learned alot from it atfirst. But it's not how I want to approach the whole proccess. So it's not that much help to me. I guess it's not good to give away all the tricks of your trade either though So maybe that's why I don't find it informative enough.

I don't know what to do with painting yet. I think I'm going to use both brushes and airbrush. brushes for the main color and details and airbrush for the smoother details. Depends on what I'm painting. I'm thinking of doing reptile skins like this for instance.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Not sure if you can find these in the Netherlands or not but for painting take a look at some of the magazines for the theatrical/film make-up industry. They're a good source of general information.

 

[Iokitek]

No magazines here I think Andrew Unless I order them from overseas. But hey, the internet is a very big place with lots of info.

I could also turn to my cousin. He does theatrical make-up and is a hairdresser.

 

[buckshot]

well, here's the thing. i'm moving towards becoming a children's pastor in the near future, and would love to be able to create my own puppet arsonal. thanks to trial and error, and the wealth of knowledge i've gathered from this forum, i'm getting better at working w/ cloth and foam. but i would like to expand the look of my puppets (ie: the difference between kermit, fozzie, fraggles and characters from the dark crystal, etc).

so after looking at the tutorial on axtell's site, i figured that i could draw from past sculpting classes i've taken, and possibly move into latex. i agree that it needs to be a gradual process, but i think it's something i can do (think being the key word). i appreciate all of your input. as i mentioned before, there are a few unfinished puppets i have to work on first, and then i might move onto new things.

 

[Iokitek]

Glad to be of help...if I was of any. And good luck with building more puppets. Come back anytime if you have some contruction methods to share.

 

[buckshot]

i was just checking out Stan Winston's site, and found some pretty cool stuff on how he makes characters/masks/etc. it's not exactly the same thing as what we've been discussing, but still pretty cool. may give some ideas:

Stan Winston Studio
(click on "behind the scenes" and then "studio tour")

 

[Buck-Beaver]

No magazines here I think Andrew Unless I order them from overseas.

The best that I've seen is Make-Up Artist Magazine which has a web site at http://www.makeupmag.com and they have a SFX make-up forum here.

 

[erniebert1234ss]

Whereabouts are you in NC, buckshot? I'm about an hour from Asheville, on the west side of the state. Boy, the deer down here are harmless; if you're a deer hunter, beware the poachers. They'll skin you alive if you move. Just a thought.

 

[Iokitek]

wow

Those are great links. Thanks!