So I have been writting and filming a puppet series called the Rocky and Helping Hand Show for over a year. I am in the processes of finishing it up and am ready for my next series. I have an idea and how I want the puppets to look. This time I will need to make them myself. I have found so many great resources out there including a pattern for a foam head that I have experimented with. I will need to make three puppets for this series and I am hoping all of you experts will help me. I will be posting a sketch of the main character soon. I see myself having difficulties with the eyes since I will need them to blink and close. I always give credit where credit is do, so in my Credits for the show, I will acknowledge everyone who helps with ideas. Plus, you will have the blessing of knowing you helped put the smiles on many children. Thanks and please keep checking back.

Sounds great ........lets get started !

Billy D.

So here is the main puppet for my future puppet series. The character should feel like a older wise character. Slow moving. I plan on using grey or white fur with the opposite color goatee and eyebrows. Feathers are his "Mohawk" hair. This is a very crude drawing. Of all the things crafty God gifted me with, it was not putting what I see in my mind on paper.

He'll be cool. Don't worry this is the place to get the help you need. Just ask specific questions. 

I know the blinking eye mechanics has been covered before...somewhere...around here.....found em


There are more for sure, but maybe this will get you going.

http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,4692.0.html

http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,4041.0.html

I have used the Veoh one from Puppets unit. The Dr. puppet one I have not watched because of the cost. Puppet ministries get very low budgets. And people who are doing it for kids all over and not just for the church have even less money..

I don't know if you have any of the Puppet Project patterns or not but the Rotundo pattern would be a great one to start with. Instead of placing eyes on that base pattern in the normal way you would then add the ridge on top of it and place your eyes there.  Can you see it?  Even if you did not start with that pattern I think the idea of starting with a round shape then building on top of that would be a good idea.

Great advice. I think the style you are talking about is the pattern I have. I'm going to build it today as an experiment. I am thinking of using 1" foam. My past experiments with foam have not been fun though. I can't find contact cement anywhere at Michales or Hobby Lobby. I have been stuck with a glue gun. I'm sure you all know how painful that is. I played with a blinking eye mech like the one Magenta suggested on Veoh. It works, but is hard to control in my experiment head. Does anyone else get slightly frustrated at making a puppet from scratch, or is it just me... I will post the new head experiment head soon. I really think I could use the help.

So are looking to basically build a Cookie Monster style puppet with hand in glove arms. I will check my files and see what I have. Could you email me with more details about your project. May be that I can help.

Billy D.

So here is the main puppet for my future puppet series. The character should feel like a older wise character. Slow moving. I plan on using grey or white fur with the opposite color goatee and eyebrows. Feathers are his "Mohawk" hair. This is a very crude drawing. Of all the things crafty God gifted me with, it was not putting what I see in my mind on paper.

Just be careful with white when filming. You don't want to bleach the image out and have a blob of white. You can also get contact cement at most hardware stores, WalMart or store like Home Depot or Lowes.

Good point Jomama. I guess I didn't think about the white being to much. Maybe I can town down with more grey then white. Although, the stage for the filming will be a mock attic with wood towns. But if I green screen the background, do you think the white will be a problem? Anyway, thanks for the tip on the contact cement. I will stop by one of those places and see if I can get some.