hello all,

i have a question about puppets' NECKS, specifically in the case of puppets that are human characters.

do most of you talented folk use foam for the neck of the puppet or just fabric? i've run into a bit of a roadblock in that i really can't decide what i think is best. if i make the neck out of foam it is going to look 'chubbier' and will have to be a little larger to allow a person's hand up through it. in the past i have made my necks only out of fabric, not foam,  but if the neck is just fabric it will be very limp and floppy if the puppet is idle. but maybe that's okay -

i've tried answering my own question by looking at many of your amazing photos in the gallery. so much talent! but i really can't tell in most of the photos if the neck is fabric or foam. i also don't use patterns, i invent my own.

i also must ask - if in fact you are using just fabric for the neck, do you use doll stands or something to brace the puppet when taking a photo of it? sorry this is such a beginner question.

i find attaching the neck to the head + to the body to be the most difficult part of making a puppet.

and neck advice anyone has will be supremely appreciated!

x.x o.o jw

I just finished a Cave Man puppet and needed to use a foam neck. What I did was I used a piece of fleece covered by a piece if 1/4 thick neutral foam. Usually we use 1/2" and 1" foam which is ready available. You might have to check your craft store if they carry it. The fleece offered a good base from the body to the head and the thin foam was easily connected to the head base and upper body then airbrushed and sealed in Plasti-dip aerosol can. Plasti-dip seals the airbrush colors and makes the foam more durable and flexable. (Runs about 7 bucks a can. Great to have) With this you wont run into the foam wearing away at the creases on the neck.

To stand my pups up for photos, I use Mic stands. I have alot around here from my years gone by hoping to become a rock star...lol

Just remember when making the neck. Measure the circumferance of the head opening and measure the body opening. Sometimes there is a larger difference between the ends. Cut accordingly. I will usually run a longer piece from the neck through the body like a sleeve. This serves as a good guide to enter the puppet and you dont get caught up searching for the proper position manipulation.

I hope this helped. When I take some pics of Cave Man who is just about ready to be boxed and sent to France, I will include them here so you can see the method.

I like your approach on making puppets without patterns. I like to do that too 90% of the time. Create as you go.

Friends,
Sonny

I use mainly fabric for my puppets necks so that it has more flexibility I use broken (or new) camera stands to prop up my puppets.

Daryl H

All the puppets I have made have fabric necks only.  Having only fabric gives greater freedom in turning the head.  When using the puppet your arm fills out the neck and gives it structure.

For the greatest flexiblilty for the puppet head the neck should extend as far as possible into the puppet (all the way through the puppet is best).  My last few puppets I've been planning the heads so that I could have the head covering and neck fabric all in one.  This requires more advance planning but it elliminates the seam where the neck would have attach to the head and makes the puppet look a little better.

I use only fabric at this stage. With my furry monster muppet, the fur made the neck quite strong, without making it inflexible. I haven't found foam to be necessary so far.

I use a modified dolls stand (I'm sure I've posted a pic somewhere here if you search for stands), which I can slot inside the puppet's mouth/neck and body.