Whenever I come across entertaining, informative, educational resources for puppeteers and puppetry, I will post the information and/or links here.

Improving Puppeteering Skills

The Puppet Improv Project has informative information about improving puppeteering skills. This link will take you directly to their notes.

The Weird Kid Store specializes in making mascots, but there is a wealth of information that is applicable to puppets.

Resources and Accessories for Making Puppets

I use Project Puppet patterns. I’ve used the pin head and round head, in addition to making adaptions on each for a particular shape of head. I usually enlarge the patterns 150%. I found the original pattern to be a little too small.

Creative Ministry Solutions has the best rods. They have comfortable handles and come in two different lengths. One is 13″ long for when you are using the puppet next to you. The longer one at 20″ is perfect for when you are using the puppet over your head. I like these rods because they have rubber bands on the rod to attach to the puppet’s hand. This way you can interchange the rods and be able to change the puppet’s clothes easily. The rods are reasonably priced and they ship almost immediately.

A great short video on the ladder stitch and whip stitch. Even though it is almost impossible to get invisible stitching on non-Antron fleece, using the ladder stitch has made my seams remarkably less noticeable. Antron fleece is fluffier so it is easier to hide the seams. It has to be ordered and only comes in a few colors. Professional puppet makers dye the Antron fleece.

Super video on how to make blinking eyes on a puppet. I used his suggestions on my Monster to make his eyes blink.

I finally learned how to make my own puppet fleece pattern from How to Make A Puppet and Pattern From Scratch. He shows how to make a really round headed puppet from a baseball cap. Very interesting! Plus he covers how to make a fleece “skin” to cover the head.

A custom puppet builder – James Kemp. He has a great shot of the body (complete with breasts) for Lucy from Avenue Q.

 

A little off topic, but very interesting about making hair out of foam, covering it with fleece. Kigurumi For Villians – creating costumes for Mega Con.

Interesting Puppet Sites

Water Puppetry

Ever heard of water puppetry? In certain provinces of Vietnam water puppetry has been handed down through the generations. The puppeteers actually stand in waist high water to perform.

An interesting video about the puppeteers and how they make the special puppets for being in water is at this link YouTube video.

War Horse

Excellent clips about the creation of the horse puppets for the stage productions of War Horse at the National Theater of Great Britain. Also includes footage of the Handspring Puppet Factory–the builder of the puppets.

Interesting facts about the horse puppets used on stage.

Missing Link Productions

A very interesting concept of a web based “circus” acts agent from England. It is a fun place to peruse.

Aunt Annie

Fun site full of easy to make puppets for kids–complete with stories and scripts!