My First Latex-Head Puppet

Ventrilotwist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
A couple weeks ago I finished my first puppet since I made a sock puppet many years ago. I spent a lot of time on it and wanted to wait until I could properly post pics to share it. I used the majority of my arts and crafts skills (ranging from clay sculpture to stage make-up) to make one of my own latex-head puppet; a phoenix inspired design.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/twist86/Puppet/IMG_0712_Small.jpg
(Oops...can't seem to get a picture...is it possible?)

Unfortunately I did not take pictures while in the process, but I can give simple info on how I made it.

First, I sculpted the head in polymer clay. I ended up having to sculpt the head twice because the first time I baked the clay (polymer clay cures in a conventional oven) and could not get it out of the plaster mold even though I had covered it with petroleum jelly. The second one I did not bake. I used an aluminum foil bas for the sculpture so I did not need as much clay.

Second, I made a plaster mold of the head and was able to easily remove the unblaked clay when the plaster hardened.

Third, then I cast it in latex. The latex I used is sold as a mold making substance. I colored the head by tinting latex with pigments and then painting many layers of each color on. The original latex head had to be thin as a thicker layer (which I tried after finding the original to be semi-transparent) could not support it's own wait and came out of the mold deformed. The layers of color not only gave the colrs a solid good coat, but eliminated the transparency.

The body is Furry Fleece as the base. I used red tube material (sold for making turtle necks) for the neck tube. The tube runs from the base into the head. A red feather boa makes up the wings and head tuft. In the back of the body I installed a zipper for easy construction but also for stuffing options. I'm glad I did this because I ended up switching from polyfoam to poly fiber filler. This is the first puppet I have made since a sock puppet I made a long time ago.
 

Ventrilotwist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
Thanks! Hmmm...French you say...j'adore francais! Maybe I'll run with that idea!
 

Ventrilotwist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
I do not have more pics at the moment but will take more when the puppet us actually finished...they are taken so long to dry I forgot that I have latex feet in the works still lol.
 

SesameKermie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
271
Reaction score
2
Wow! She looks better than that Axtell cockatoo(?) that the guy has been doing his act with on "America's Got Talent!" I've never tried working with latex. Great Job!
 

Ventrilotwist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
Thanks! Cockatoo is the correct spelling and yes that is what it's supposed to be (not sure what you were questioning). I finally saw the show last night and voted for him, but I wasn't impressed. He just redid his Godzilla thing basically, yet he mentions a 40 min show. If he makes it through to the next (last?) round he does something different. While watching I was wondering if anyone was impressed by the bird arm illusion. I wasn't, but I learned about it on the Axtell web site so I know immediately what it was lol.
 

SesameKermie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
271
Reaction score
2
I think I was getting cockatoo and cockatiel mixed up. It would've been nice to see the whole thing. The 'Godzilla' bit is pretty good though! I knew about the arm illusion too. I wonder if non-puppeteers or -ventriloquists figured it out?
 
Top