Dans Puppets

Thank You for sharing with us. I'm not sure if I know how to do this. I have never had a call for one to be made.

Billy D.

I am not 100% where DansPuppet is going but if you think in the traditional way you make a mouth plate and insert it the concept would be the same but the mouth plate would be glued in at the same angle that you have the cut in the foam.

If you are manipulating a hand in mouth puppet correctly then you should only be moving your thumb anyway.   With this puppet the position of your hand is a bit different. Instead of bending your wrist and inserting it into the mouth you simply slide your hand up into the mouth plate. To "work" the mouth push your thumb forward and down.  Can you follow that?

There is a style of puppet head, built in foam and fleece, wood, paper mache, etc., where the lower jaw is completely separate from the rest of the head. It is hinged to the upper jaw in a way that allows it to be manipulated by the puppeteer's hand. The upper jaw, upper lip, and cheeks, etc., can all be shaped in a frowning or neutral configuration, and the lower jaw is almost like a thick flap that is mostly buried in the character's jowls when the mouth is held closed. This design is seen a bit in dog puppets, because of their jowly appearance.

This lower jaw has the same finish as the rest of the head, whether dyed fleece or whatever, so that it blends in and looks like it's basically all one piece, but isn't normally covered by that same continuous fabric skin as the rest of the puppet's head. I think that Statler and Waldorf do use this kind of construction, but ARE enveloped by the same continuous fabric cover - making them more sophisticated in design.

This type of design CAN be made so that the face naturally smiles, but it is much more neutral by nature than the typical foam and fleece Muppet clone. I think that the separate lower jaw design I'm describing is basically the same thing that Na calls a non-Muppet "mouth" puppets on her site, or a variation thereof.

Beaker and Sam the Eagle both use a variation of the "flap" jaw, (which is my description and not a technical term). I'm pretty sure that Beaker works by using a pair of nested cylinders that slide up and down inside his head, like the tubes of a spyglass or telescope - and not directly controlled by the puppeteer's fingers hanging onto the mouth plate. That is how his characteristic open-mouthed jaw dropping is accomplished, as well as his head popping up from and sinking down into his shoulders. I know I've seen a drawing or photograph of the mechanics before, whether from the actual designers and builders at Henson studios, or a third party.

Here is a link to a photo of a separate-flap-jawed puppet that is at least expression-neutral, if not a little angry or grumpy looking...

http://www.indymogul.com/photos/1/677.jpg

It came from this web page, which explains how to make the puppet...

http://www.indymogul.com/post/566/build-plans-how-to-make-a-puppet

I can't agree enough with the comments already made here that the eyes and eyebrows contribute greatly to a puppet's (or person's) expression of their emotional state. A quick study of basic cartooning shows that.

Sorry if any of this has been unclear. I don't have time to draw up and scan any diagrams of the designs I've mentioned, or find other examples online.

Here's a funny and interesting post by cartoonist John Kricfalusi, of Ren and Stimpy fame, about old school puppets. You can spot a couple of separate-flap-jawed puppets here...

http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-makes-funny-puppets.html

I agree with him when he says that the Muppets are great, but it's a shame that so many people choose to imitate them so closely.

 

Ron G.

Another idea for the jutting lip and/or frown would be to soft sculpt the features.  You of course are not limited to just foam and fleece but another style that I like to create with is stuffing and nylon material.  You can get great features with just a simple thread and needle.  If you can make a knot and pull, you can do soft sculpting.  Another name for this would be similar to cloth doll sculpting.  There is a great example of one of the nylon puppets made by John Kennedy and explained in his book, "Puppet Planet."

Note the muscle puppet as the example:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1581807945/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

Looking at the picture from the book that you gave as an example, I think that soft sculpting with nylon would be a perfect choice for this character.  You could get every exact detail from the lips and the wonderful nose.  I can't stress enough how easy soft sculpting really is.  It can even be done for hand in mouth puppets although I prefer finger-in-head method myself! 

Here is a picture of a soft sculpted marionette head that I made for my male hula dancer.  You can see how easily you can go into even more detail with the addition of more knotting, pulling, and stuffing

I can't stress enough how easy soft sculpting really is.  It can even be done for hand in mouth puppets although I prefer finger-in-head method myself! 

Thanks Nikole! Personally I've been more along the line of hand-to-mouth -- living that is!

The soft sculpting method looks like it has possibilities. Oh boy, another book to add to the library. You know, coming up with a puppet show has some expenses, but it's the background support stuff that can really add up! I'm so grateful for folks like all of you who can steer me in directions that are helpful.

I do have the eyes and eyebrow configuration pretty well imagined out. I don't know about you folks, but I do about 85% of my planning in my head, then commit it to "paper" to put the ideas in more visible and durable form. Since I can't draw worth a lick I use the computer to put my thoughts together in a more visible form.

At any rate large black very bushy eyebrows are where I am currently planning to go, set very close to the eyes. Angry eyes I believe I can make. I am hoping that however I go with the mouth, it will not contradict what the eyes are saying.

Here is a quick drawing of how I am imagining the eyes:

At any rate large black very bushy eyebrows are where I am currently planning to go, set very close to the eyes. Angry eyes I believe I can make. I am hoping that however I go with the mouth, it will not contradict what the eyes are saying.

Here is a quick drawing of how I am imagining the eyes:

Heh... moose-antler eyebrows - I love it!

I also love Nikole's suggestion for doing a soft-sculpted face. We've had two or three members here use that technique in the past with great success. Lisa Lichtenfel is the queen of soft sculpture, and has been referenced on this site a few times...

http://www.lisalichtenfels.net/index.html

http://www.amazon.com/basic-body-sculpture-techniques-Lichtenfels/dp/B0006QN6H2

http://www.amazon.com/basic-head-sculpture-techniques-Lichtenfels/dp/B0006QN6IG/

(These books are out of print, but I suggest that you try your luck with inter-library loan. Ask at your local library.)


Susanna Oroyan is also a well-known and popular doll artist with expertise in soft sculpture and the author of many books available online, and at bookstores and your local library...

http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Doll-Fabric-Sculptors-Handbook/dp/157120024X




Ron G.

I like those eyebrows!

Hi

I did a diploma thesis on "Emotive Film Puppets" that dealt in large with the possibilities of displaying different emotional states of puppets.

I have added some images that describe the most important aspects of the facial expression 'Anger' (Enraged, and Sternness) as well as a screenshot
from "The Fifth Element".

I would add it directly to this post, but can't find my user-name in the listed galleries. Please go directly to Roger107's Gallery.

greetings

   Roland Dell'mour

I inserted them for you Roland.  You have to select User Albums from the drop down list then your Album from the resulting drop down list.

The book that Roland mentioned:
Link no longer available.

Thanks for teaming up to post the still shot from the Fifth Element, guys. I really, really like that movie, for lots of reasons - including the great design. We watch it at least once a year, and my son was just saying the other day that it's about time to watch it again.

I actually own a copy of that facial-expressions-for-artists book, or one like it, but I tend to think in terms of cartooning when it comes to puppet design. It never even occurred to me to post excerpts from it here, but they are great!

That's one of many things that I love about this place, is how helpful people are sharing stuff like this.

Thanks again!



Ron G.