I currently have two puppets in mid completion.  I’m trying to streamline the mouth building process.  I’m working from my own designs and trying to tweak them until I get a work method which is efficient and will allow me to create a pattern. I get the head and lower jaw sewed and then I am left with a round hole for the mouth.  I’m currently playing with giving my puppets an overbite so the upper jaw is larger than the lower jaw.

Once I have the head done I through trial and error try to create the mouth out of black doe suede material. 

I have tried sewing and also gluing it.  I’ve tried attaching the mouth boards before and also after the mouth material is in place.  I’m still not getting a smooth reveal between the transition of the fleece and the doe suede (the lip to jaw transition).

My question is when not working from an established pattern how do you come up with the mouth boards and doe suede shape?  Is it always several trial and error refittings or is there an established method more skilled puppet makers have come up with.  The videos I’ve watched make it look like it fits everytime.

I can eventually get it to fit, but I have wrinkles at the lip line.  Is this because the mouth is too small? 

What is the order of creating?  Do I start with the mouth shape and work backwards or do I start with the head and make the mouth fit?

Thanks in advance for everyone's wonderful help!

Steve

I'm not really sure what the problem you are having is without seeing a pic.  But when I make my own patterns, I make sure that the measurement of the outer edge of the mouth plate(that would be the lips) is the same as the mouth opening on the puppet head.  Have you been using this measurement?

Anyone have a diagram?

I agree............... there several different ways to do it depending on whether you are using the three piece method or a one piece pattern. I will attach some diagrams.

Steve the answer is "depends." I know this does not help...lol...I have started both ways depending on the shape of the face ect....I don't know if you have watched my YouTube videos....a lot of your problem could be due to the bias of the material (see other post)and taking the time to keep moving the material around until you get the wrinkles out.  It takes lots of time and patience.


<---------Utube link is in this box...I am adding a few more that are missing....I hope they help.

Daryl H