Hello.  I am new to puppetry.  Just started in May, but I have gone way overboard! lol  I already have about a dozen puppets (see my profile and album) and one full-size, wearable one; Sir Jeffrey.  Now Sir Jeffrey needs a dragon.  I have lots of the pieces, but always looking for tips and suggestions.

Here is the head:


Here are various parts


Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Tips or advice?
Thanks... Arthur

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Looks good! First I thought you were going to build a 40 m puppet!

Looks to me like you are doing pretty good! Your very ambitious for just starting out and seems as if you are on the right track.

Great Job!

yeah, pretty cool.

Nice work so far...keep us posted...we love to see the progress and step by step...and don't be afraid to ask questions if you are stuck we love to help when needed! 

StiqPuppets

It looks awesome so far.  I have never built a puppet/costume to wear overhead like that. Did you put a cooling system or anything in it?  This was mentioned on another thread and I'm just curious.

I have not done a cooling system.  But as the first time I would like to use it is about a month away, outside, its currently about 100 degrees and next month is typically our hottest month of the year??  Yeah, its something I have to figure out!!

It looks like you have already covered your head with fabric but you might be able to go in and modify some.  Not only a fan in the head can help with heat build up but the addition of ventilation holes. Eyes, ears and of course the mouth are perfect places for ventilation but you can actually put holes say the size of quarters in the foam without weakening the structure that won't show when covered and if the fabric is not too thick it can help with air flow. I've even seen these used as details on heads for spots that can be covered in a mesh or net fabric and then you really get good air flow.

Get one of those neck scarves that you can put in the freezer to wear around your neck. Also cloth dipped in witch hazel held at the neck or wrist can cool down the body but be careful of the fums. Better to use that once you come out of the costume to help cool down.  Used that with an actor once on an outdoor show. We kept the soaked cloths in a cooler with ice and when he came of stage would put them to his neck and wrist.

Shawn, looks like you are quite a veteran in this sort of thing. The only real one I have done was a bit of a  nightmare. I was contracted to do a character for an event. The head of it according to the drawing was a meter in diameter, so I reduced it to 75 cm, I had one and a half days to design build and deliver it. I worked to 4am and got it together, and on delivery found they had given me the wrong body size of the actors, they had a few petty corrections and insisted on zip closures etc. They had already dropped the price down to half what they had offered me to get me interested, the  accountant asked for a further discount which I refused (as I was fuming by now) I had to catch a taxi home, add  extra body length, put zip in, change teeth, new cape,etc, and have it delivered just before performance. The whole thing put me off doing more jobs. found a pic of it...

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Unfortunately this happens a lot with custom work.  It is one reason so many people get turned off with doing custom orders.  I know that lots of times folks reduce prices thinking it may get them a leg in or experience but as a rule that never pans out.  My motto is if they want custom I am going to make them pay for it and if they want it as a rush order I expect their first born.

I haven't built too many costume characters myself form start to finish but I work on a lot of them doing repair and up keep. Let's me see the insides of things and how they hold up over the long haul. The bulk of what I see is made by Vee Corp and they do a pretty good job but they are expensive.

I could have done with that advice before I started... thanks for giving it. Take note everyone. That was precisely what I thought... I thought it would generate more work. But it did not, in fact caused some bad vibes. Not a job offer since then.
   On a side note I notice kingart4 that you are using green foam. Is that a denser foam? (I have not seen it here where we are) I used a cardboard structure with  soft foam covering before cloth, to be able to get it light enough. What material Shawn, would Vee corp use for a head the size I did? I once saw on one of those reality talent shows, an inflatable plastic suit. That  looks interesting, and light, but easy to puncture.

Here is the latest.  Mainly been sewing.  But added some detail to the head tonight.  Still needs a tongue, a fan and some touchup.  But you get the idea... 

He is really taking shape. Love the fabric you have covered him with.

Question on the fan:  Blowing in or out?