How to start making puppets?

[princessotako]

hi. have been following links and the info has been helpful - here comes the but - i am having a problem with pattern making from the maquette. have been testing out the large patterns (understand how to enlarge) in cardboard and they seem fine, until i make them up in foam (am using pe30). any suggestions?
oh and has anybody used suede lycra as a covering?
thanks

 

[spcglider]

hi. have been following links and the info has been helpful - here comes the but - i am having a problem with pattern making from the maquette. have been testing out the large patterns (understand how to enlarge) in cardboard and they seem fine, until i make them up in foam (am using pe30). any suggestions?
oh and has anybody used suede lycra as a covering?
thanks

The problems you are encountering may have to to with the thickness and the "squish-ability" of the foam versus your cardboard pattern.

Remember: you're cutting the pattern out of foam that is probably 1/2 inch thick. That means your pieces will be squished smaller towards the inside of the shape you're building and stretched larger towards the outside of the shape you're building.

Imagine a ball shape made of 1/2 inch thick foam. If you measure the exterior of the ball and it's 6 inches in diameter, the INTERIOR diameter of the ball (the hollow space inside) will be somewhere near 5 inches in diameter. Because there's a 1/2 inch wall thickness all the way around.

Patterning to exact dimensions is VERY hard to do. Making a pattern for the foam part and the covering at the same time requires a lot of mathematical skill (that myself and many other puppeteers don't posess).

So let me offer this idea:

Start by making your foam "skull". Make sure it works properly. In fact. if you have enough material, make two... just in case.

1) Create a custom pattern over the top of it by taking regular duct tape and de-tacking it. That means stick it to your pants first before you apply it to the foam piece.
2) Lay the tape on the surface in two to three layers... criss-crossing the pieces so you bridge any seams between the pieces.
Once you've covered the foam, geta sharpie marker and figure out where the seam lines should go. Draw them onto the tape. Make special thought about how you will make this shape LAY FLAT once the pattern is away.
3) Take a nice, sharp pair of trimming scissors (the little ones with the nice sharp blades) and carefully cut the TAPE along the lines. If you've de-tacked the tape well enough, the pattern should lift off the foam head.
But this is also why you should make a spare... sometimes the tape just sticks. And you tear the foam or have to cut it to get the pattern away.
4) Once you have the tape pattern, lay it out on large craft paper and trace it flat.
After you use the pattern once, you'll get a feel for where it'll need better fitting to look good on the foam shape.

Maybe this wasn't the info you needed.. but there it is...

-Gordon

 

[princessotako]

many thanks gordon. funny how we (and i mean myself) overlook the obvious - who would have believed that foam is thicker than board?
the duct tape method works a treat for fur layouts - so i can see how it'll be helpful for the foam.
once again. thanks.
ali

 

[spcglider]

No problem! have fun!!!

-G

 

[Graffickasdream]

Glued eyes...

Hi, I've been making this puppet and I am practicing before glueing the real thing into place on scrap foam. I want the eyes to be a bit sunken in as if you would press on them... I made the eyes out of plastic spoons and they look good. But if they just are stuck on... it looks as if they are stuck on... I tried to cut out the shape in the foam and when I put fleece on it... even if I cut out the interior of the fleece which would be the back of the eye... when I glue it on... it sort of bounces back... any tips??? Would deeply appreciate.
thanks.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

The best way to get a "sunken in" look is to use the commercially made eyes with posts, but since you're not doing that you could try cutting in to the foam just a little bit so you can embed the eye in it. Another option is to glue the eye on and then "build up" on it, placing foam around it. You can see an example of what I am talking about if you look at this puppet's eyes.

 

[Graffickasdream]

Thanks for the info... I didn't know you could buy eyes with posts.. had thought of it... I will try however to cut a little deeper... it's just that when the fleece is over the foam it doesn't work as well as when I embed the eye by itself in the foam (without fleece)... then I thought about avoiding the fleece altogether... My dad (a modelmaker use to take velvet and shave it and then apply it to make grass or other stuff) so I thought of gluing the shaved thick velvet on the foam with a coat of white glue ... either the brush on kind or spray kind... I don't know... I am experimenting, but getting impatient I would just like to get the effect I want.... you know?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

If you want round eyes that are embedded the posts really are the way to go. Easy to use, but your options in terms of size are limited. You can buy them online here.

 

[Graffickasdream]

Gluing eyes!!!

Hey Wow! Thanks.... I went and looked at those eyes with posts... I think it will work!!!!! I will definitely try it and will let you know...
Thanks a million!

 

[SesameKermie]

Another method to get the "sunken look" would be to cut the eye holes out of the foam skull, cover it with fleece/fur/whatever, and then glue the eyes from 'inside' the head.