Reverse Engineered Patterns

[InnisAnimation]

Well, I am still having a hard time figuring out how to develop patterns for puppet heads. I have the David Pannabecker videos, which have explained a ton and inspired me to go for it. I did not buy the kit with the patterns, trying to save money. So in the mean time, I thought I would reverse engineer some patterns from some muppet stuffed animals. I had a great Kermit doll from when I was a kid. It's from 1978 and you can get it on Ebay easily. I carefully took it apart with a seam splitter and learned a lot. It was very interesting to see how they handled the mouth area. I'll try to make a diagram of the process when I get the time. For now, I scanned in the head pieces and made a schematic of the patterns for those who are interested.

If anyone has some favorite head shapes in a stuffed animal they own, I highly reccomend this process as a learning tool.

To see the images, go to:
Kermit Head pattern

 

[Yahnke]

thanks,
that was awesome. I myself struggle at coming up with my own patterns. It seems a lot of it is trial and error, but that method costs way too much $$$ for me. SO i haven't really come up with a good way to make a patterns otherwise. I have been told paper machie works well if you make the shape and then cut it until it lays flat. Then you have your pattern, but i haven't tried that yet.

If anyone has a bert doll or a patter for him, could you please post something. Thanks. Happy puppet making.

 

[InnisAnimation]

Scooter pattern...

Scooter Head Pattern Here

Here is another based on the plush 'Scooter' doll in the same series as the Kermit above. I think this one has a much cooler, more interesting shape. There is a nice curved dart at the top of his head which contributes to the unique shape of his head.

These are both purely fabric patterns. Not sure how a foam pattern would look based on these. Any ideas? Hope these inspire you all.

Dave

 

[buckshot]

very cool. thanks for posting these.

 

[BorkBork]

Scooter Head Pattern Here

These are both purely fabric patterns. Not sure how a foam pattern would look based on these. Any ideas? Hope these inspire you all.

Dave

Foam pattern would be pretty much the same, just make the fabric a little bigger for seamallowance. I'm thinking, maybe, just maybe make the dart a little smaller...Cool pattern. I worked out a similar myself

Perhaps i should post my thoughts on a kermit-pattern....i'll have to draw some pics for it...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Thanks for posting these!!

You know, I feel too guilty about cutting up stuff...I just can't do it! I live vicariously as a doll-destructor through others who aren't as big a sissy as me.

 

[gfarkwort]

I make patterns differently because I don't like cutting up plush'es. But my way works and that’s all that counts. What I do is get thick printing paper and build what I want my puppet to look like out of paper. So basically is just a 3-D paper puppet. And I tape all the pieces together. Then when I start building I UN tape it and trace the shape onto the foam. This way I can see how big the Puppet is before I invest time in building it out of foam. This procedure has worked for me so far. I've built 12 puppets this way. The only problem I have is fitting the mouth plates into the Puppets. But now I'm just thinking about making the mouths out of foam as well.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Foam mouths will become a trouble later! YIPE! Go around and find old signs for "get your taxes done" that is on that corrogated board (plastic, but looks like cardboard) and use that for mouths. It's much better and sturdier.

Here's a simple pattern that, enlarged 4 times (?), can be played with and turned into an awesome puppet. I made a Mahna from it, and it works great for basic puppets.

But, it sounds like you make puppets that are a little more extreme. I'd like to see them sometime if you can put them online. A free online picture site is www.picturetrail.com, and you have several photos you can upload to the site for free.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Were you posting a link to the pattern Foz?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

No, but I meant to. I was posting a place where he could show his pictures. I did mean to post the link to the pattern, it's only the Blue Boy pattern someone has up on aol, but it's useful: The MISSING LINK, besides bigfoot, is:

http://www.members.aol.com/bocashouse/MG/BlueBoy.html