New site and puppets

[thedoogles]

Hi All

Just wanted to share will all you puppet buddies out there... my new site.. features heaps of new puppets I've made including snort (full sized puppet).

http://www.thedoogles.com/snort.html
http://www.thedoogles.com/buzz.html

you can also check out a musical number I performed on 21 December... with my puppets Cheeky and Parky, Penny and Peter Penguin!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_froUZj0FY

Merry Christmas to you all
Michael

 

[puppetise]

i would love to see snort in action what did you use for eyes

 

[ravagefrackle]

nice stuff for the most part,

but i would be careful if i was you, many of your characters bare more than a passing resemblence to classic muppet puppets,/fraggle characters,
Buzz sticks out in my mind, looks very much like a old school "frackle"

you defenitley have some skills as a builder, and your more original creations show lots of potential, would love to see you develop them more.
best of luck

 

[thedoogles]

resemblence to classic muppet puppets

Thanks for the comments ravagefrackle. In reality there will always be the perception that this type of design (like the doogles) will be considered to appear like muppets/fraggles. To be honest, it's a honour that any one would even suggest they are of that quality.

I can assure you that each Doogle character has been crafted based on an original drawing by myself and then made into the finished product. Which takes me ages, although through trial and error I have really learnt loads of techniques that seem to work for me.

I look forward to making many new characters for people to enjoy... perhaps it's that bit of the henson legacy (that will always be apart of who I am), which comes out in the Doogles. Either way, the Doogles originallity will continue as it has been and I look forward to sharing that with you all!

Enjoy and happy new year!

cheers
Michael

 

[thedoogles]

Snorts eyes

Hey there

Would you believe that snorts eyes are simply made from foam balls that were cut in half and painted white... it's as simple as that...

It's a amazing how many simple products can be used and get the effect you want to achieve in peformance...

 

[travellingpat]

Woah those are awesome!!!!

 

[ravagefrackle]

In reality there will always be the perception that this type of design (like the doogles) will be considered to appear like muppets/fraggles.:

Very true, something we all deal with , my concern is not so much from a personell point of veiw but from a legal one,
i would hate to see anyone trying to get somewhere with puppetry have legal issues thown in thier face, and with disney now owning the muppets the likley hood of some over paid pencil jockey comming after you is greater ,
while the hand mouth style of puppet made popular by the muppets will always result in a "Muppety" look, my own feeling was that some of ytour puppets from a design persepctive share a few top many traits in common with established muppet puppets,
Please do not take this as a slam, just my own personal observation, its all still great looking work.

I can assure you that each Doogle character has been crafted based on an original drawing by myself and then made into the finished product. Which takes me ages, although through trial and error I have really learnt loads of techniques that seem to work for me. .:

i dont doubt this at all,im sure you do

anyway great work keep it up, best of luck to you with your puppetry,and puppet building

 

[thedoogles]

No offence taken

Hi

I really appreciate it. I don't take it personally. To be honest, a few years back I investigated with the Copyright Council of Australia as I was concerned with the 'muppety' look.

Their advice was that while a direct copy of a character is against the law, the 'look' or idea isn't. It's very similiar to the book publishing industry. How many fiction books do you read, where you think to yourself...umm I'm sure I've read something similiar to this from another author....

The advice they provided was that once you have established yourself as an artist within the community, you have established yourself in your own right including your creations. In the case of some pencil pusher at Disney who might try to attempt legal proceedings, it would only result in damage to their own credibility and image. The copyright Council believes that as you have the support of the community and you have established yourself within the community as a puppeteer with your own creations, legal proceedings are made harder to persue. Let's face it, these days people attepmt to take legal proceedings on anyone for just about anything...so this form of culture is to be expected.

Once again, personally, I appreciate your honesty and I'm glad that puppeteers (like yourself) are looking out for others in the field.

Cheers
Michael

 

[ravagefrackle]

just want to commend you on doing your due diligance,

not quite sure what the laws on copyright are when concerned with international folks like your self,

pretty sure they are bit more strict in many ways here in the USA,

but its good that you did indeed go thur a process,

good luck to u

 

[RottenPuppets]

nice site.

do you go in the streets as snort often?

i would have trouble *not* wearing the suit every day.