How to start making puppets?

pretzel

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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

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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

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Buck-Beaver said:
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

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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

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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

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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.
 
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