I've been asked to build a football shaped head for a puppet, and was wondering:

I'm thinking of buying the melonhead pattern from Project Puppet, but I need the puppet's head to have an opening at the bottom for the puppeteer's hand, and not at the back of the head. (Basically, imagine a football with only one opening, and at the bottom) Would it be easy to adapt the pattern to do that? I've never made a melonhead shape before, and I'm a bit at a loss as to where to start.

I'm also wanting that particular look that you get from gluing the mouth onto the foam, and turning the foam inside out to get a lipped head look (sorry if that's not clear, I don't know what to call it) - which is not how I normally build my muppet heads.

I really don't want to buy the pattern, as I'm keen to figure it out on my own, but time is tight for the commission deadline so I was thinking that it might help if I had a ready made pattern.

Any thoughts?

Na

Is there an old American football or Rugby ball sitting around the garage, no one wants anymore? You might salvage a good pattern from that.
If not, experiment with some paper cuttings. If the width is longated west/east and he look like Stewie from Family Guy, the mouth should be really easy to create. If the head is in a north/south position, you will have to minimalize any mouth you use.

You could always just use a round pattern you might already have and just add a foam cone on each side of the head. Think Princess Leia, but instead of those Bakery buns on the sides of her head, substitiute them for some soft pointed foam cones.

I think the melon head pattern from Project puppet has an opening at the bottom. Not the back of the head so you are all set.

I once made a Jesus puppet using a NERF football as a form; just glue the foam OVER/AROUND the shape then remove the NERF from the inside. I used it the point up like Bert but you could use it long ways like Stewie.
MJD

The  melonhead puppet does have the opening at the bottom, as far as shape goes... here's the only examples I have as it's not one of my most used patterns, although it is a good one...

The Melon head pattern from Project Puppet Simple series are more like hand style puppets but can be enlarged on a copier to a larger size.
http://www.projectpuppet.com/simple_puppet_pattern_3.php

I do like Sonnys idea of cutting a football into a pattern making sure that it is flat. MJD had a good idea as well............... I'm assured you will come up with a good solution.

Billy D.

As billy said you could enlarge the pattern.  The simple series are really small and the one that I made I found really tight on my long finger thin hand.  So enlarge the head as much as you want and you could easily put a slit in the back of the head to do what you want.  I would even suggest to make a new style foam body that isn't included in the pattern. 

Just something to think about......

Daryl H

Has anyone tried to start with a cone shape pattern  :-\then cutting the top to give the required
shape.... the mouth may be fixed at the base of the cone....just an innovative idea but
I wonder if it works well....should try out & see the result.

Cheers
Bhanu

Wow - thanks everyone for the advice!

I do have a football, so I could easily make a pattern by covering it, or cutting it up. I guess I'm just having trouble visualising how to do it, which is why I was thinking of buying the pattern.

I think I'll make a small prototype out of scrap materials and see how I go.

If I get stuck, I may buy the pattern.

Thanks all! I'll post pics when I've done the prototype.