Possable Puppet Armature

[Teenager's]

Posable Puppet Armature

So, with the Puppetry Club we are going to do a showcase and build copies of our characters as posables.

I've built armatures for stop motion puppets before, so I don't have questions about that...

But, I was just wondering what kind of wire I could use, does anyone know what the armature for the Muppet Posers look like?

I'm guessing that it's probably a ball in socket/ball bearing armature, but I was wondering if you guys had any other ideas.

Later tonight I'll post a photoshoped image of what one of the possible designs might be.

 

[Teenager's]

Alright, here's the link to my idea for this showcase....

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/PuppetShowcaseDesign.jpg

Tell me what you guys think.....

-Chase

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I like ball and socket armatures, but if you don't want to go to all that trouble 1/16" armature wire should work fine. It can be a little expensive, but it works really nicely. You might want to go with a heavier gage if the puppets are really big. You should be able to find it in most fine art supply stores.

 

[Puppettown]

Check the jewelry/beading section of your local JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby or Michael's. That's where I find mine. It's usually sold in coils hanging in plastic bags.

 

[Teenager's]

Alright, heres the first stage of the Showcase construction. It's really just a teaser sort of thing to build hype.

Here's an alternate logo I made.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/Under-Construction.jpg

Here is a pic
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/Cleanshowcase.jpg

Me and the showcase
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1010802.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1010804.jpg

And here's a commercial I made and considered airing, but then decided "why advertise advertising".....other than to build hype....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwDU_YoinEk

This week at Puppetry Club we started building the figures. So far we have the foam heads and bodies done. The armatures come next. and we are going to use 1/16" wire. Along with other materials. I've decided to make our MC character (the yellow guy) 5'10....he's going to have a wooden support holding him up and supporting his legs, because I assume they will be weak. For him we are not using 1/16 wire, but instead scrunched up chickan wire and thin PVC pipe.

This week we were also interviewed for a Newspaper from another city. As soon as the article comes out I'll post it.

 

[Teenager's]

Oh!....sorry guys that youtube link isn't working....actually I tried to fix it earlier...and I think somethings up with youtube....

HOWEVER........I'm trying to fix it again now....sorry for the inconvinience....

....but the commercial is a teaser

 

[Teenager's]

Ok......Here's a working commercial link


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtnZG0FfZa0

 

[Teenager's]

ok, so here is the progress so far on one of the posibles....I have pics of the armature and the foam body......next all I have to do are the feet and the mouth. For this character I want him to be bare foot & I'm not quite sure on how I'm going to give him the support needed to keep him standing, and then how I'm going to make the bare feet. I was just thinking about carving the foam. And then for the mouth....I was thinking about using clamps to keep his mouth open or closed.......unless you guys might have better ideas on how to do it.

The Armature
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1011008.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1011009.jpg

Foam Body + Arms
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1011010.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1011011.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j190/pcep-puppets_2006/P1011012.jpg

 

[TheCreatureWork]

Check out this link:
http://www.courseptr.com/downloads/chapterpreview/32442CH7.pdf
I hope it helps some. The work you've done thus far looks awesome!

 

[Teenager's]

Whoa.....Thanks TheCreatureWork for the link....& Compliment!

That site had very helpful stuff....I might consider looking at that book at a library or something....cuz its the one I don't have...

hmmmm.....yea....I was thinking about doing a tie-down for the smaller characters....cuz I have to do it for the larger one.....so....yea...might do that...

and possibly drop the idea for the posible mouth....