Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 20:44:22 -0600
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] New puppet pics: Finally!


Very excellent work indeed!
Thank you for posting images of your talent!
Inspiring!
mjm

On Feb 8, 2006, at 8:39 PM, Mathieu René wrote:

> Hi to all puppet and paper mache friends.
>
> I've just gotten a visit from one of the puppeteers from the show I 
> worked for recently.
> He brought the Old Lady puppet and we staged a few poses for my 
> portfolio.
> (Ok, i coerced him to be the puppeteer for the shots, as he needed my 
> help adjusting the puppet for a subtler movement they were working on.
>
> I made her and the costume. She is a transformed baby commercial doll, 
> on which I added articulations (including ball socket and elastic  for 
> the neck) and re-sculpted the entire face. I also "wigged" her by 
> cutting an identical wig to the one worn by the real old lady in the 
> show, and added some strands strategically to reproduce the hairdo. 
> Lots of cutting!
> Her entire body is covered in many layers of Paper mache strips (Kraft 
> paper and white glue). Very strong. Her eyes are supposed to look a 
> bit sick, which is rendered by applying nail polish carelessly in 
> small puddles, repeatedly.
> www.magma.ca/~uubald/vieille.jpg
> www.magma.ca/~uubald/vieille_poses.jpg
>
> He also brought some "passable" photos of the Egg- headed wonder, The 
> Old Lady's son.
> His head is thin yet very strong paper mache, becomes translucent 
> enough to be lit from within, by a small LED book light I embedded in 
> there. It looks cool, slightly blue-ish light when lit in the dark. 
> The battery pack and switch are outside and are used as a manipulating 
> rod. The head starts in the world by itself, then goes graft itself 
> onto the body's neck, since both have powerful magnets in them. The 
> other rods, for wrists and heels are stiff wire, covered in paper 
> strips, which made it all very stiff, comfortable, stiff, and very 
> easy to paint in black.
> Only to paint the rods, I used the Americana DecoArt acrylic paint in 
> the small bottles. It's cheap enough for small quantities, and flat 
> black.
> I'll still have to take my own photos during a show, but this photo 
> will give you an idea of the costume-maker's great work on him.
> I'm hiring her on my next puppet project. She got faery fingers for 
> small details. She hand-sewn the sleeves back to the tronc, directly 
> onto the puppet, and it doesn't show at all.
> www.magma.ca/~uubald/piaf.jpg
>
> Comments and questions are not only welcome, they are encouraged.
>
>
>
> The show is called La T=EAte Blanche, and is inspired from the true life 
> story of a Lady who, despite her age and hard life, will stay forever 
> young. (My own personal interpretation of what I saw, of course).  She 
> plays in the show, with 3 other actors, 2 puppets, and and a few 
> objects (some are object puppeteered). The lady in question has been 
> made the star of the show, and even though she's not an actress, she's 
> great!
>
> It plays in Montreal till the end of February and willm probably play 
> again in the year. Contact me for more details if you want to see it.
>
>
>
>
>
> Mathieu René Créaturiste
> Marionnettes, Masques, Etcetera...
> Puppets, Masks, Etcetera...
> creaturiste-AT-magma.ca
> www.creaturiste.com
> (514) 274-8027
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