Sewing a puppet mouth

[Punch'n'Judy]

Yes. Always useful.

Always interesting to see the divide in terms of health and safety standards with the various glues also. Whilst some builders on this side of 'the big blue wet thing' are very careful the majority are quite happy working with the fumes. I remember speaking to a puppeteer who used to complain about working in a small studio flat and going to sleep with the smell of Evostick in the air (not pleasant at all), whilst David Barlcay (whilst working at Ultimate Animates) used to keep the Evostick locked in a metal cabinet.

Each to their own!

James

 

[Bear Man]

Can anyone describe how to get the folds around the corners of the mouths like, for example, on Kermit or Fozzie?

 

[spcglider]

Since we're talking about mouth fabrics, I just thought i'd drop in here.

I use Ultrasuede (yes its a brand name) for my mouth interiors. Its a fairly tough fabric, takes dye to an extent, and glues with contact adhesive well. It also functions well as the hinge in a hard-palett mouth.

Expensive you say?

Not at all. Not the way I get it.

When I am visiting a thrift store or second-hand shop, I always go to the women's clothing aisle and search for dusty rose or peach colored skirts and coats. They made a bunch of them back in the 1980's/1990's. You can get enough Ultrasuede from one skirt to make mouths for dozens of puppets. Sure, you're losing the waistband and the hem areas, but for less than ten bucks, who's complaining?

-Gordon

 

[MGov]

I was working on a film shoot as a gaffer about three years ago. I had torn off a longer than needed piece of gaffers tape so I tore about an inch off one end and stuck that piece to my shirt, near the bottom.

All the times that shirt has gone through the laundry since then, the tape is still sticking to that shirt.

 

[SesameKermie]

Mouth Folds

Can anyone describe how to get the folds around the corners of the mouths like, for example, on Kermit or Fozzie?

Check out the "Fabrication" part of the BARK production blog on Swazzle. I think Buck has the link on his puppetvision blog.

 

[SJohnson]

Puppet Mouths

For more information check out my blog Puppet 101. I have many posts dealing with puppet mouths click here for starters: http://swazzle.com/blogs/2005/11/bark-production-journal-mouth.html

I hope this helps.