Making Full-Bodied Puppet Costumes

[charlie bird]

''Hallo'' ,my name is Benjamin Johnnston.I am a puppet builder,sadly I dont know how to atach the pictures of my puppets to the fourm. If anyone knows how, please send me a message.Sorry I got alittle off subject.This thread is about making puppets like Big Bird with one hand controlling the head and the other hand controlling the hand of the puppet as a full boddy suit.

I want to make a puppet like that and thoughte some other people knew any thing aboute this type of pupet.I have made manny puppets includding two mascots.I am planning to make a mole puppet simullar to the shape of the big bear from the big blue house.I am an expert at pattern making, so the pattern making part should be easy,exept the boddy suit wich I do not know much aboute how to make on this type of pupppet.Any tips and ideas would be welcomed, as well as coments.

Thank you,BenjaminJohnston

 

[FeLo]

I don't know how to make it, but good luck to you, and go to youtube and search for Frank Bearfoot. That is a friend of mine and he made frank all on his own just thought you could check it out

 

[charlie bird]

Thank you so much I saw the video and loved it.Awsome puppet by the way is he on the fourm too.If so what's his user name so I can ask him for advice. You realy gave me some good ideas.
Thank you,Benjamin johnston

 

[charlie bird]

Does anyone know how to punch fur into fabric and where to buy it. I heard it makes a more life like charecter.I'm thinking about carving the head instead of patterning it.Any advice and coments are highly aprieciated.

 

[charlie bird]

For any one wanting to know how to carve a foam puppet or mascot heads look up nicodemus fursuit pages.They have great tutorials.

 

[charlie bird]

One way I found to punch fur is to get a needle and cut a slit in the hole of the needle slide fur fibers in it ,and punch it into the fabric .The only problem is where do you get fake fur that is not already in fabric.
I'm thinking about getting ready made fur fabric and in different places when it is allready on the puppet punching some longer fur in.
please post youre thoughts

 

[charlie bird]

Does anny boddy think that small hole mesh fabiric with fur punched into it would make for great venalation?It's just an idea right now,But I think it would work

 

[HauntedPuppet]

Furs already come weaved in a ventilated fabric.

Carve foam heads and cover them in fur and fleece, there are a lot of tutorials on this out there.

Peace

 

[practicecactus]

What you're talking about doing is high grade movie animatronics kinda stuff, where they punch fur into the latex face, for something like chewbacca, I know his fur was Yak hair, but not sure how they attached it for the suit.
Attaching your own fur to a fabric would be more trouble than it's worth, not to mention more expensive. Just use a good quality fake fur fabric. The hard work's already done for you. And while it may get hot and not recommended long periods of use, it's the easiest route to go.
Unless you go feathers like big bird, where you do have to glue each individual feather to a fabric.

These photos might help you get some ideas.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/practice-cactus/IMG_1830.jpg?t=1268019302
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/practice-cactus/costumepuppet.jpg?t=1268019381
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/practice-cactus/costumepuppetII.jpg?t=1268019413

p.s. We're not allowed to embede pics into the post itself, just link to them.

 

[charlie bird]

Thank you for the coments.I think I will make it the way you recomended,hopefully I can find some good fur fabric.
ps:The pictures were verry heplful