Hmmm, my ten year reunion was an interesting ordeal. I was one of the few who were unattached and didn't have children. It made me question what was wrong with me until I realised that the time they had spent working on their families, I had spent doing all the things they wished they had. Some of those chicks had 12 yr old kids which just blows my mind.

As frustrating as it may be for you, I am so envious of you and that I made the choice to leave home. Financially, I would be so much further ahead if only I'd stayed home during Uni. But I was determined... If you're establishing a business, it is undoubtedly the right place to be right now, despite the drawbacks.

On a different note, I hit a friend up for the use of their Visa and ordered a downloadable pattern today. Not sure if I'll use it but I spun out at just how different/unnecessarily complex my patterns have been. This puppet's head pattern comprised only two parts where as mine have had up to 8. To get the curvature I've wanted, I have been cutting the foam like pizza slices and joining. This pattern purchase has already been a totally worthwhile venture and has proven just how needlessly difficult I've made the process for myself.

What are the books you're dying to read? Any chance you're a Pratchett fan?

Hmmm, my ten year reunion was an interesting ordeal. I was one of the few who were unattached and didn't have children. It made me question what was wrong with me until I realised that the time they had spent working on their families, I had spent doing all the things they wished they had. Some of those chicks had 12 yr old kids which just blows my mind.

I missed out on my 10 year reunion. I'd chosen instead to go to a book launch for a fellow uni graduate and friend; it was his first book published. That was kind of a reunion in itself as I hadn't seen him or a mutual friend/uni graduate in a while.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing about kids - a friend I'd known since Grade 4 recently had her second kid. To be honest, I've not kept in touch with any of my school friends, so I don't really know what any of them are up to or how 'well' their lives are going compared to mine. Although I'd bet they make more money than me

On the other hand, I've done a lot of travelling, had my own theatre company (not the ones I advertise here) at 23, helped self-produce a lot of fringe shows with friends, interviewed Peter Garrett and other artists as an arts journo, and generally been able to keep doing what I enjoy. I doubt I'd have done half of that had I done the 'normal' stuff.

As frustrating as it may be for you, I am so envious of you and that I made the choice to leave home. Financially, I would be so much further ahead if only I'd stayed home during Uni. But I was determined... If you're establishing a business, it is undoubtedly the right place to be right now, despite the drawbacks.

Yeah, I'm not going to comment much on this. There's a lot of stuff home-wise that's not really anything to be jealous of. As for finances; I'm really not in a good position, even without worrying about rent. It's quite dire actually. Medical bills have put my scant earnings into chaos.

On a different note, I hit a friend up for the use of their Visa and ordered a downloadable pattern today. Not sure if I'll use it but I spun out at just how different/unnecessarily complex my patterns have been. This puppet's head pattern comprised only two parts where as mine have had up to 8. To get the curvature I've wanted, I have been cutting the foam like pizza slices and joining. This pattern purchase has already been a totally worthwhile venture and has proven just how needlessly difficult I've made the process for myself.

It sounds like you've been using the 'wedge' method, which isn't bad in itself or wrong. I think it all depends on how you design the pattern. I know Project Puppet's patterns are more single-piece than what I offer/The Foam Book uses. And I think it all depends on the shape you're aiming for too.

Complexity is another thing altogether. I think in general the simpler things are, the easier it is to make; but that all depends on what the puppet needs to do and the mechanisms you're using to get it there. I made a miniature toy theatre for a show, and it has lots of moving parts. It's extremely complex in terms of building, but very simple (although faulty in a lot of areas due to my inexperience building them) to manipulate. Striking a balance is very hard.

What are the books you're dying to read? Any chance you're a Pratchett fan?

Well, if we ignore about 10-15 puppetry books I bought when I last had a full-time job (2007), and the books of plays that I haven't read in years but would like to re-read, and some magazines I bought a while ago, really my heart has been set on two that I ordered recently:
On the Origin of Species (do I need to say it), by Charles Darwin
and a set of essays/letters written by Galileo.

I'm on a science kick, and not having read Darwin's work I thought I should. I've read 40 pages so far and whilst I'm enjoying it, getting some quiet reading time is a struggle. The latter is because I'm an astronomy fan and particularly enjoy a passage by Galileo about the process of enquiry and how we're never quite done learning. I'm also kind of in the middle of a third book but struggled to enjoy it and gave up; and kind of in the middle of a science mag that I put down and just haven't picked up again.

I've been a voracious reader since I was little, but I've lost a lot of my ability to concentrate over the last few years. (The above isn't quite true. I spend more time online reading science stuff and it contributes to my never getting around to real books)

... And to answer your question: I've never read any Pratchett stuff. I know I probably should, but it's not high up on my list of things to do.

Apologies for the delay in my response. Work has got the better of me and I've spent my very rare and ultra special spare time indulging in creating yet another puppet. Yay!

Wow, what an epic amount you've achieved. I figure the rest can wait... live it up while you can! Where have you traveled?

I tried Darwin but just couldn't stick with it. Kudos to you if you can. But I get what you mean. When I actually sit down to read I can't stop but quarantining the time is something I struggle to do. Sadly, I too have fallen to the web traps. Any puppetry books would you recommend?

So this is the newest addition to my puppet attempts and the fourth so far. I opted to use a pattern I purchased from Project Puppet however modified it so that she is operated from the back. I really did learn so much from using a professional pattern however am not super keen to do so again in the near future. It kind of takes the fun out of it! But I thank Project Puppet for teaching me some new and much needed skills. What a great site it is for an aspiring puppet builder like myself.







Forgive the potential perceived egotism in creating myself. I just needed a human subject (first human puppet so far), stumbled across the blue wig and it was decided before I really made a conscious decision! 

Hope your worlds are awesome

Lizzie

She is fabulous!There is nothing wrong with creating a puppet that is fashioned after yourself! It is great to do!! Thanks for sharing!!

Nice job. There is nothing wrong with wanting to branch off and not use a pattern.   I am glad that you where able to learn some things from it.

I think we all fashion our puppets after ourselves even if it is unconscious.  I know I do.

Wow, what an epic amount you've achieved. I figure the rest can wait... live it up while you can! Where have you traveled?

At the moment it doesn't seem like much

I have been to lots of places as a kid, but after school/uni, I went to South Korea for a puppet festival - a friend of mine is from SK - which really makes you think what you could do if you properly fund the arts. They had two days of *amateur* companies performing for a puppetry competition; tickets $10 (all ages/shows); a 200 seat venue, plus several small ones all on the same campus; a puppet museum; and managed to pay meal/accomm. for all volunteers helping out (I was one such person). Each volunteer could also see any show they liked for free, as many times as they wanted. So I spent a lot of time watching shows

I went to Perth in '08 for the regular UNIMA puppetry festival, which was amazing. Did a lot of workshops and forums and things. And in '09 went to the US national puppetry festival, which had a different set up than UNIMA but was still pretty good. (UNIMA was more technical tips for pros, the US one was more intros for beginners. I found I knew most of the stuff being explained at the US one) If you can get to a festival (hey, there's two now in Australia - one here in Vic which will be its first, and during Adelaide Fringe, although that's just shows not workshops) like these, do. It's really worth the time. Quite often you can do single workshops or see shows, or get a day pass, so even if you're not entirely committed to puppetry you can still enjoy it without spending a bunch of money.

In between I've been to Sydney a couple of times for shows. Once was for The Lion King; the other time was for Ronnie Burkett, a Canadian puppeteer.

I've also been lucky enough to have 'rich' parents who sent me on a school trip at the end of high school - a drama class trip to England/Ireland. We did and saw a lot of things that you wouldn't normally get to do on a backpacking trip or organised tour. Got to see Sir Nigel Hawthorne and other luminaries in 'King Lear' at the RSC, amongst other many shows we saw; did a workshop at the Globe; spent the day at a theatre museum in Covent Garden; ran workshops for drama students in Ireland. Whilst it wasn't the best trip in the world - a rather sordid tale which is long and not relevant here - the stuff I got to do in regards to drama studies was well worth it.

Overall, I've been pretty lucky to do all these things, and have been able to do/learn/see a lot. Especially other people's work, because so few international puppeteers come here to teach or perform. I've seen foot puppetry from an Italian woman in South Korea, French puppeteers in the US, Spanish in Perth, learned from a Japanese puppeteer to make a bunraku head (this isn't even taught amongst the Japanese public), seen the Mayor make a day 'Jim Henson' day in Atlanta, and be the only non-Korean volunteer at a festival overlooking a picturesque lake. It's a pretty darn good run when you think about it.

Any puppetry books would you recommend?

Anything listed on the 'books' page of School of Puppetry. There's a few not listed there as I haven't migrated them yet (and of course, books I haven't read and therefore not reviewed yet), but if I remember right, it's two books on Japanese theatre. Anything by David Currell is worth a look, and most people recommend Hansjurgen Fettig's 'Rod and puppets' book (although that one's out of print and hard to find. I spent about a year looking for a copy, and STILL haven't gotten around to reading it)

Books are great, but I really do recommend looking out there on the net. I have saved up thousands of bookmarks of websites that had amazing info, many had tutorials or patterns that were interesting or unusually inventive, some explain how to do things in detail that you'd never consider (I recently found one site that had computer code and an explanation for how it works - to be used with animatronics), or are liveblogging about their festival experiences or shows, not to mention all the ebooks or free books on the net. I'll actually be posting a top 10 list of puppet blogs to read/visit next month, and my list of recommendations is stacking up to be a good one. I've got a couple of Aussie sites that will be worth checking out, but also a lot of international ones that are just plain awesome and behind-the-scenes explanatory. It will be worth looking out for.

Additionally, and I mentioned this in the 'help needed' thread just a few minutes ago, there are a lot of publications and trade journals produced by the various puppetry centres around the world. They're often a good source of info, and I know the Aussie one has just had a pretty good makeover with lots of good stuff in it. I know these are kept in the National Library of Australia's archives, and additionally the NLA has a pretty good puppetry section in general in terms of other books it stores.

... Now onto your latest puppet. I love it!! It looks fab, and the second pic you can really tell she comes to life  I've never tried making a caricature puppet of anyone, and wouldn't know where to begin, so I reckon it's pretty awesome. Most people wouldn't know how to do it either

As for the Project Puppet pattern, I think their patterns are better suited to people who want paint-by-numbers instructions. The other equally popular manual, The Foam Book, may suit you more as it doesn't come with patterns but overall explanations of how to achieve certain characters. Basically it teaches you how to make your own pattern, rather than how to use one provided. You might find it 'easier' to use because it's more about exploring your own ideas and how to put them into a practical form.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I had so much fun making a caricature although I think she is more of what I wish I looked like than what I actually do - she's certainly more buxom than I am!  I do need to thank P&S. I made the hair using two separate wigs and a process I read about here, wefting. It was simpler than I ever imagined it would be and heaps of fun, so once again, thanks guys!

Na, you've done so much. I have to admit I'm feeling a little green with envy right now. OS travelling is just something I haven't ever had the opportunity to do. I have seen almost all of Australia though which I am proud of  The shows and workshops you've attended sound amazing. I'm particularly interested in the one you mentioned in Melbourne (as realistically, that's the closest I'm going to get right now to any of your experiences!). I might need to do some research on that one and see if I can get there next time. Is it worth the trek?

What on earth is Jim Henson day like?!

I'll keep an eye on your site for that list of top 10 blog sites to check out. There is just so much out there I often find myself sucked in to link after link after link which leads me nowhere eventually except to frustration. For starters though, I might take your advice and pick up a copy of The Foam Book. Definitely sounds up my alley. Thanks for that.

Na, you've done so much. I have to admit I'm feeling a little green with envy right now. OS travelling is just something I haven't ever had the opportunity to do. I have seen almost all of Australia though which I am proud of 

Heck, I didn't even include the trips I've done with my family I've been lucky enough to have parents who travelled a lot for work, so went along with them a few times. (Even still, I've not done even a tiny bit compared to them, who between them I think have been to most of the habitable continents)

I've done a lot of things that I might not have been able to do had I not had a lot of help though. Several travel grants have gotten me to festivals, along with a bit of input from my parents.

The shows and workshops you've attended sound amazing. I'm particularly interested in the one you mentioned in Melbourne (as realistically, that's the closest I'm going to get right now to any of your experiences!). I might need to do some research on that one and see if I can get there next time. Is it worth the trek?

If you're talking about the festival in Vic I mentioned above, it will be taking place in Maldon, a few hours from Melbourne. It's an entirely new festival, so I don't have any idea how good it will be; I have seen the program though and it looks good. A lot of well-known puppeteers with their shows/workshops and it's being run by an ex-UNIMA president and his wife. The website is here: http://www.tarrengowerpuppetfest.org.au/
Of the program I can recommend Gary Friedman, who is a friend of mine; I've done his paper workshop and that was excellent. He also does a regular puppetry for TV course, and is Henson trained, so he's a good person to meet. Dream Puppets are the guys who are running the festival, and the Syd. Puppet Theatre are real friendly and very willing to chat. (They're the ones who really got me thinking about what kind of puppetry I wanted to specialise in) There's Richard Bradshaw of course, who is like, the biggest font of info about puppetry in general and of course, extremely well-known. Everybody else is quite well-known and/or graduates from VCA.

I probably won't be able to go myself, as I have no money and it's too soon (March) to save up for it. But if I could I'd go.

What on earth is Jim Henson day like?!

That was pretty neat. The festival itself was only 4 days, and Atlanta is home to a puppetry museum/centre which also houses a permanent Jim Henson exhibition. So one of the days included a trip to the museum, lunch, and a show in their small theatre there. Before the performance, a spokesperson from the Mayor's office, plus Henson's daughter (Heather) and wife, welcomed us and an announcement was made that Atlanta had named that day as 'Jim Henson' day. Afterwards, Heather took an impromptu tour around the exhibit, discussing the works on display. There were a couple of Sesame St performers there, as well as an original Avenue Q cast member - they were both performing during the festival itself - so it was kind of like an exclusive backstage pass. It's a nice little bit of history I was part of

I'll keep an eye on your site for that list of top 10 blog sites to check out. There is just so much out there I often find myself sucked in to link after link after link which leads me nowhere eventually except to frustration. For starters though, I might take your advice and pick up a copy of The Foam Book. Definitely sounds up my alley. Thanks for that.

Yeah I know just how you feel. I've just got way too many puppet sites to wade through. I currently subscribe to about 20 blogs just on puppetry and haven't been able to keep up with them all year. I think there's some 2000 entries I haven't read yet. And this doesn't include all the other blogs that I have bookmarked but haven't signed up for.

This is one of the reasons why I wanted to start doing a top 10 list. Not only to recommend sites I absolutely love, but also to get people introduced to the gems they might not be able to find on their own. Most of the ones I'll be recommending are ones I've only found recently, and may not be high up on the google rankings.

Hey - if you want a copy of The Foam Book, I could send you one. I bought a stack of them for a failed class last year and have been wanting to get rid of them. It's the second edition (I think), brand new, hasn't even been un-bubble-wrapped since getting them direct from the authors.