From: "Tina Farmilo" <cfar-AT-gulfislands.com> To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org> Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 21:51:26 -0800 Subject: [Puptcrit] Thanks - & summary of responses re technical question Thanks to everyone who answered my query last week. "...was wondering if anyone with giant puppet making experience could suggest ways to make our new Summer Queen more effective. She's wearing silky robes which show a little cleavage. I want her bosom to move realistically under the dress when she's animated. " Received a lot of thoughtful responses - assembled as follows, in the interests of sharing the wealth. By the way, the Summer Queen and her consort the Winter King, are being created for this year's 7th Annual Lanternfest, a New Year's festival December 31st on Pender Island, BC. Check out the festival at: http://www.pendercreatives.com/threeonthetree Cheers, TF ----- The only thought I had was to create the bosom out of foam sheeting with minimal structure supporting...this would allow them to sway in a manner that somewhat looks more natural....for a horizontal sway use a foam bracing running vertical....? The Rolling Stones used an inflatable puppet of a rather voluptuous young lady and I believe they under inflated the breasts to a degree to allow for some movement in that area.....that may be quiet a viable option? ........I'm not going there........ I thought of latex sheeting suspended across the cleavage, between two or three frames. The skin would flex with movement giving a sense of flesh? Sorry...never been asked to do that one so I can only offer a few ideas that may trigger a solution Daniel ----- We have had excellent results using Spring Steel boning coated with Buckram. We rivet pieces together using Jean rivets. Gives a natural flesh bounce/sway so long as you don't over cage it and then you cover with 1/4 in sheet foam and your choice for finishing fabric. We have a 12 foot whale that only weighs in just under 20 pounds. and he's a real Goliath. Best, Liz -- K. Elizabeth Evans, President & Artistic Director Renaissance Artist Puppet Company http://www.RenArtPuppetCo.com 610-630-4259 Company performing -AT- The Montgomery County Cultural Center 208 DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA Renaissance Artist Puppet Company's mission is to promote excellence in puppetry as a Theatrical art form and as an Educational tool by incorporating historical and cultural diversity along with quality performance techniques to tell our stories. ----- Ok. Giving this a little thought. Disclaimer: I have not ever built what I am describing below, it is just my thoughts on the matter. The first thing that comes to mind is using a spring. For the fact that a spring will return to its natural rest position+coil strength +length+ the effect of gravity. Meaning, that if you have a spring that the coil is wound tightly, the effect from gravity and motion will be less than one with a less wound coil. So, how would I test this? Go to the hardware store, grab a spring and hold it horizontal and move it in a "natural way" and repeat until you get the desired movement you where looking for. You can effect the movement of the spring by adding weight to the end of the spring as well. Not sure, how to wrap it. Maybe carve some breast shapes out of foam blocks, play with hollowing the insides a bit,(you want the foam material to simulate fat not muscle. So getting the right density in the foam is key to getting to react as naturally as possible.) and then attached them to a foam skin in the rib cage of the puppet. If this works out well, you should be able to put a bra on them and they should some what normally to the influence. Cheers, William ----- Well, I'll throw this out...what about lightweight knit fabric bags stuffed to desired firmness with shredded foam.? C Spencer ----- Get on a sewing machine, sew up a pair the size you wish and fill with tiny pieces of foam packing peanuts or fibrefill, before you fill, drop a ball bearing in each centered may tape down, then fill them, it will be as normal as possible for the conditions. Regards, Mark _Professional Puppet Builders Guild_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pro_puppetbuilder) A discussion list on the Building of Professional Hand and Rod Puppets - Join this New list for POA members ----- bird seed is used for bosoms in theatre... you might be able to use styrofoam pellets used in bean bag chairs...plus a bit of weight... Bill _______________________________________________ ----- Or just use two beanbag chairs. >Steve Axtell / Axtell Expressions, Inc. 805 642-7282 **************************************** <http://www.axtell.com>Amazing Puppet Characters Web Site New show "<http://www.axtelevision.com>AxTelevision" on DVD International <http://www.axtell.com/performers.html>Performer's Directory The original content of this email or attachments is =A9 2005 Axtell Expressions, Inc. ----- I've had good luck with creating the shape wanted with hollow core foam tubing that I insert wire into and then bend to create the shape I want. Make a cage of that for the outline, covered with a thin layer of foam to cover the "spines" so they don't show through your fabric. Attach the breasts to the rest of the structure only at the top so they have the freedom to move in an organic way. Then add some weight inside (the aforementioned styro pellets work well) to give it enough weight for the desired "bounce" My experience is that, in the scale you're looking for, a bosom completely full of the pellets would prove too heavy both to carry and to get the desired "natural" effect. Birdseed, by the way, will have the dreaded "vermin picnic" effect in storage. I don't have a copy of it at my fingers, but I wonder if Sara Peattie & Company have some solutions for this in her"68 Ways to Make Giant Puppets" (which is available through the web). <http://www.gis.net/~puppetco/> Anyone who makes large puppets should have this link as a resource. Sara & the Puppeteers Cooperative are also the ones who run the "puppet lending libraries" in Boston (the original) and now NYC. Karen ----- Just as Liz did, I was going to suggest spring steel boning which although I haven't used it in giant puppets would work really well. Another options would be air-filled balloons which would certainly be light enough. -- The PuppetVision Blog "The web's best source for puppet film and video goodness, delivered fresh to your computer each day." http://puppetvision.blogspot.com RSS Feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/XVGw _______________________________________________ ----- Not sure about the softness, but you can take FOSSHAPE (www.dazian.com) and sew it into the desired shape (turn the sewn FOSSHAPE breast configuration inside out to hide the seams) then stuff with polyester fibre fill that you can get at Wal-Mart etc. Take a heat gun and or costume steamer to heat the outside (the FS will shrink in until its feels the resistance of the fibre fill) of the FOSSHAPE to form/shape into the finished form. You can remove the fibre fill and are left with a lightweight, breathable structure that will take most any paint type. The Thermoman of Dazian Brian Jeffrey ----- _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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