I am new to both this site and the concept of creating a puppet.
I have, for some time, wanted to do this and only recently decided to go ahead and do it.
I tried in vain to find someone who could create one for me based on my design and budget so I guess I will have to bite the bullet and try it myself.

Wish me luck!!!

Welcome - you have come to the right place!  And good luck as you create!  Please keep us posted on your progress!

Welcome to Puppets and Stuff, you will be suprised how easy it will be once you attempt to try. Perhaps we can see some of your drawings and give you some basic building tips to get you started. Any questions you have feel free to ask.

Billy D.

LD,  to Puppets and Stuff and the world of puppet building.  Like Billy said, building puppets is easier than it looks ... once you learn a few skills.  Start with a drawing of what you want your puppet character to look like.  Then you sculpt or build the basic shape in foam.  After this you add the skin and then details.   For me it all starts with a very simple drawing.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Welcome LD Ablo!

Pam

Well I want to build one based on a small figure I have.
It began as a sort of character I developed on myspace, started a website with his as the unofficial symbol and I want to build a puppet to do some youtube vids with him.
(He is not my design by any means, I just adopted him.)
Here is a picture.

Any tips would be great.
I really want him to be like a muppet puppet.
Plus, I only need from the 'waist' up.

Thats a great toy he would make a fantastic puppet!!

LD - What a fun looking Diablo.
 
Building puppets is a step by step process.  Taken one step at a time its not really that difficult.  you just have to not be distracted by the steps that are coming up.

First look at the picture and decide what kind of basic geometric shapes there are.  I see for the most part a flat topped cone with arms, legs and horns.

First build the cone and cut the slot for the mouth.  Add some foam to the lower jaw to get the extension of the lower jaw that your picture has.  Then add the mouth plate.  Give him some eyebrows.  the eyes look like they would be basic white spheres.  then build the horns and attach.  Build and add arms and hands.  build and attach legs.  Cover with chosen fabric and done.

I'm sure you'll have questions as your work through the steps.  Just as and someone will help out.

Sweet, that is the best advice ever.
I am really looking forward to this.
Does anyone have a decent link to a mouthplate instruction of some sort?
I read a couple and (having a himbo moment) they confused me.

I am hoping to get the foam this weekend if I can find somewhere to buy it.
Any tips?

I build mouth plates the way Sean Johnson describes in his Puppet 101 tutorial.  http://swazzle.com/blogs/2006/03/puppet-building-tutorial-ratchet.html  This is a link to that tutorial.  The Tutorial is organized by each step in the process.  Look for the section titled "The Mouth."  You might find some other good advice if you read through the rest of the tutorial.

Happy Building