From: Stephen Kaplin <skactw-AT-tiac.net>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:55:06 -0400
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Shadow puppet joints


Interesting video footage. It looks like from one of the shadow figure 
making factories in Sha'anxi Province, (near the city of Xian). 
Historically, its been one of the centers of Chinese shadow puppet 
tradition. They have a very distinct and very highly intricate cutting  
style. Some of the best carved shadow figures in China come from this 
region.
The artist is carving his piece of parchment (Probably donkey hide) on 
a beeswax covered board. They are sort of like an organic version of 
those self-healing cutting matts you can get at art stores here. The 
knives he iscutting with are like hand-crafted x-acto knives, with 
blade made from shards of steel crate strapping. You can see him 
stropping it constantly on the wax board to keep it nice and razor 
sharp. He keeps rubbing wax on the skin, too, which might keep it 
waterproof, but still supple enough to cut cleanly.
  The puppets they make are jointed with fine silk thread. But often I 
use rivets made out of monofilliment fishline.  Melt the end of a 
strand with a lighter. Push the glowing glob of molten plastic against 
the side of the lighter and let it cool into the shape of a pinhead. 
Push it through the jointed pieces and then melt down the other side 
(with out incinerating the puppet in the process.
Very fast and strong. Also for larger puppets I use #18 guage 
galvanized wire. Much small footprint than a brass fastener and 
manytimes stronger.

Thanks for sharing this.

Stephen
On Aug 9, 2007, at 10:32 AM, Ann Legunn wrote:

> With kids I use fishline for joints if there is time. They learn how to
> thread a large needle and tie 6-8 knots ontop of each other...push the
> needle through a pivot point then knot the fishline 6-8 times on the 
> other
> side. This methods last for decades if you put glue on the knots and 
> nothing
> will rip the screen.
> Ann Legunn
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org 
> [mailto:puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org]
> On Behalf Of Richard Johnson
> Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 3:06 AM
> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Facinating leather shadow puppets
>
> Going low tech for kids the easiest joint is made with a brass paper
> fastener.  For a bit more wear, identify the pivot point for the joint 
> on
> each part and, using an eyelet tool (most hobby shops) put an eyelet 
> in each
> piece  then connect the two with paper fasteners.  Using poster board 
> I have
> had shadows made this way last through thirty or more performances.  
> Pretty
> active performances.
> Richard Johnson
> -----Original Message-----
> From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org 
> [mailto:puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org]
> On Behalf Of Mathieu René
> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 9:23 PM
> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Subject: [Puptcrit] Facinating leather shadow puppets
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj1dvIg1DIA
>
> Looking for various ways to make joints for shadow puppets, I stumbled
> accros this video. (i,m finishing a paper puppet design and want tot go
> low-tech for joints, as it is for a kid's workshop.)
>
> No sound to the film, but the visuals speak for themselves.
> To bad we don't see how they attach the parts. The descriptive text  
> says
> they use strings.
>
> I don't know what kind of fine leather it is, or how they made it so
> transparent and strong, but wow!
> If anyone has the information, please share.
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