You know it just occurred to me that perhaps you don't want to do the performance with him standing up... well at least from the start.  I envision him sitting on the floor perhaps even with his legs pulled up or cross legged.  Perhaps he is sleeping and you come up from behind and slip your hand in and start your routine. The punch then for this routine is for the puppet to actually stand up and tower over you!  Ok I realize you still need to figure out how to control him once he is up but since it is the kicker on the end of the piece it may be easier and less strain!

You could make a whole joke about the fact the puppet is difficult to stand up... a little bit like many ventriloquist acts where they break the 4th wall and joke about how the puppet is difficult to control or how the puppet has a life of its own.

Thanks Shawn and Na. These are killer ideas!

Shawn, I can actually use him standing up - it's just a bit of a stretch and not something I could sustain for too long. That idea is gold though. Watch this space! Thank you! 

Snail you're right. I should have experimented on a smaller scale. I just get so excited I jump right in without thinking things through. It's a major flaw in me but you know what it's like - you get the idea and the creative urge and all self control is out the window! It's also the first time I made a foam head using techniques from the foam book. I have been kind of restricted by shapes I knew up until now and this time I went a little crazy, not really understanding how big the head would turn out. I was so in love with the shape afterward I didn't want to have to start over so the rest of the body just followed in equally big proportions. Most of the time I make things work regardless and I figured this time would be no different. And, of course I have the awesome crew here at P&S to offer me guidance on bailing out of my mistakes! 

Right, it's official, I adore him but I screwed up majorly. So, since I last posted here I have completed Yazid the Yeti (Yazid means to keep growing.... seemed fitting) and have made some changes. I have built a wooden, jointed skeleton to help support his weight. It does help - and didn't add much to the overall weight - but the fact is I can't operate him from a basic standing position. I know I can use a crate or an exceptionally tall stool with him in a seated position, but I'm still mad as hell with myself. In the first pic he doesn't look that tall but the skeleton is doing it's thing (small huzzah!) and he is bent at the knees. If I were to look for a positive I could say I have well and truly learned my lesson in terms of planning designs in their totality before commencement. I don't think there is much for you to suggest P&Sians apart from those things you already have (thank you) but for the record, here is my mammoth monstrosity Yeti.



Lizzie

I Love him................ makes me want one. He looks like he could be a best friend too LOL. Great job!

You're very sweet Billy. Thank you. I'm at a love/hate stage with him right now. I'm sure I'll find a way to make him work but I'm still so cranky with myself. But thanks for your kindness.

I love those horns! Great fur also.  I hope you won't be too mad with yourself.  It is the nature of the art that from time to time we make a mistake in our designs.

I like it! Have you thought about stilts? Platform shoes?

He is awesome!  A real "wow" factor!

So cute and his fur coordinates with your hair. I like how the fur is in his big eyes a bit. So sorry he is hard to handle.