Na, I have seen the puppet you were referring too and in hindsight, I had the perfect opportunity to make that happen. Alas, I have already constructed the feet and legs and any alterations would ruin the design. I also used all the fur to make him so can't start over. That style of puppet is definitely on the cards though!

You wouldn't necessarily have to alter it - it could just be a matter of adding something to the soles of the feet, then if it's not to heavy you could hold it up via the mouth mechanism. If a little heavier then add a rod or harness to the waist.

But yeah, without pics it's hard to give some good advice, so if you don't think it'll work then it probably won't.

I suppose it's all okay. It's only art and, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west, and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce, they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.

I think we're headed to Mornington Crescent...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mornington_Crescent_%28game%29

Hey Lizzie-I haven't been onto this site for a couple of days and I just read your dilemma about your puppet size. My husband suggested that if you're a shorty (like me) that you get a wooden crate to stand on and make it part of your act. The puppet has a go at you for being so short ...something like: Puppet- "Are you too short or I am too tall?" This can be a running gag through your skits. He can even get a little sarcastic about it! I constantly have running banter with my puppets (I have over 30 of them). Regards-Debra Clewer-Clewer puppets.

I have to disappoint you Puppetainer. At midnight, my brain is not capable of a comeback to a Marx inspired witticism. I did giggle in a way they may have resulted in slight bladder leakage  Thanks for the wee bit of fun!

Na, I didn't think about adding to the soles of the feet. Great idea. I can foresee some potential issues with doing that but no doubt the guidance here would fix those. Weight would definitely be an issue in terms of supporting the head. I'm waiting on someone to come round and help me take some pics. Maybe once they're uploaded you can let me know whether you think your idea is possible and where to start.

Debra, thanks heaps for that. Snail suggested something similar in a tall stool and I've been thinking about the possible banter that could ensue. I will need much more than a crate though I'm afraid. He can sit so he is functional but to use him standing up, I have to fully extend my arm above my head and use it to both operate his mouth and support his weight. It's hard work! The crate would definitely work if I rig up a rod mechanism.

Thanks again

We used pattern for one of those horses that have two people in them to make a donkey puppet and it was so big. We liked it because a large crowd could see it well and it was in porportion to the large people puppets I used back then. So we used an old broom stick and wrapped padding on top to insert inside the back of the head.  One person held the broom stick straight against the floor and the floor took the weight. The other person then had to only move the mouth. Even with a light puppet just holding your arm up is very hard, after a few minutes you have to take your arm down for a rest.  Try it with something heavy and see how long you last. You can work that into your script to give your hand a rest, by dropping something you have to bend down for, to give your arm a break. If you are doing a skit where you are not walking around much you could attach a sturdy pole to the leg of your stool to support the head, but it will be like a see saw if the stool is light, when you get off the stool it might tip over from weight of puppet. While you are on the stool your weight would counter his. Maybe a tripod like a teepee, three sticks attached at the top would be more stable. One up each leg and one out the back. You could wrap vines around the pole to hide the back one. Before making a large scale, I would try it out on small scale to see if it will work like you intend. Even better if you can bend your arm at right angle and rest your elbow on sling maybe hanging from the inside of teepee support then you can go a lot longer with your arm.

Na, I didn't think about adding to the soles of the feet. Great idea. I can foresee some potential issues with doing that but no doubt the guidance here would fix those. Weight would definitely be an issue in terms of supporting the head. I'm waiting on someone to come round and help me take some pics. Maybe once they're uploaded you can let me know whether you think your idea is possible and where to start.

I haven't done something like that myself, only seen pics from others. I know vaguely how I'd make it, but whether or not it works for your puppet I don't know. It was just a thought...

You know it just occurred to me that perhaps you don't want to do the performance with him standing up... well at least from the start.  I envision him sitting on the floor perhaps even with his legs pulled up or cross legged.  Perhaps he is sleeping and you come up from behind and slip your hand in and start your routine. The punch then for this routine is for the puppet to actually stand up and tower over you!  Ok I realize you still need to figure out how to control him once he is up but since it is the kicker on the end of the piece it may be easier and less strain!

You could make a whole joke about the fact the puppet is difficult to stand up... a little bit like many ventriloquist acts where they break the 4th wall and joke about how the puppet is difficult to control or how the puppet has a life of its own.

Thanks Shawn and Na. These are killer ideas!

Shawn, I can actually use him standing up - it's just a bit of a stretch and not something I could sustain for too long. That idea is gold though. Watch this space! Thank you! 

Snail you're right. I should have experimented on a smaller scale. I just get so excited I jump right in without thinking things through. It's a major flaw in me but you know what it's like - you get the idea and the creative urge and all self control is out the window! It's also the first time I made a foam head using techniques from the foam book. I have been kind of restricted by shapes I knew up until now and this time I went a little crazy, not really understanding how big the head would turn out. I was so in love with the shape afterward I didn't want to have to start over so the rest of the body just followed in equally big proportions. Most of the time I make things work regardless and I figured this time would be no different. And, of course I have the awesome crew here at P&S to offer me guidance on bailing out of my mistakes! 

Right, it's official, I adore him but I screwed up majorly. So, since I last posted here I have completed Yazid the Yeti (Yazid means to keep growing.... seemed fitting) and have made some changes. I have built a wooden, jointed skeleton to help support his weight. It does help - and didn't add much to the overall weight - but the fact is I can't operate him from a basic standing position. I know I can use a crate or an exceptionally tall stool with him in a seated position, but I'm still mad as hell with myself. In the first pic he doesn't look that tall but the skeleton is doing it's thing (small huzzah!) and he is bent at the knees. If I were to look for a positive I could say I have well and truly learned my lesson in terms of planning designs in their totality before commencement. I don't think there is much for you to suggest P&Sians apart from those things you already have (thank you) but for the record, here is my mammoth monstrosity Yeti.



Lizzie

I Love him................ makes me want one. He looks like he could be a best friend too LOL. Great job!

You're very sweet Billy. Thank you. I'm at a love/hate stage with him right now. I'm sure I'll find a way to make him work but I'm still so cranky with myself. But thanks for your kindness.

I love those horns! Great fur also.  I hope you won't be too mad with yourself.  It is the nature of the art that from time to time we make a mistake in our designs.

I like it! Have you thought about stilts? Platform shoes?

He is awesome!  A real "wow" factor!

So cute and his fur coordinates with your hair. I like how the fur is in his big eyes a bit. So sorry he is hard to handle.