From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca> To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org> Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:55:11 -0500 Subject: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood? Hi all. I wonder if any on Puptcrit have sculpted regular construction wood for making puppets? I'm thinking of using some leftover 2 x 3 pine wood pieces to make the torso-body of my next self-appointed puppet design. My main concern is splitting. Although I've worked with this cheaply prepared wood before (no humidity control during drying process), and never had problems, I've never had to build something so dear to me, and the wood remaining exposed (might be slightly oil-stained, no varnish). Any advice to help prevent major splitting? I don't mind a little bit of it, it gives character. Another concern is the wood grain. In which direction should it be, to allow for durability? Specifically, is the 3 " section the right face to draw my disk on? Those disks will be made drafty on all sides, have either a wooden bead in the middle, or a bump integrated. The bump or bead will have a thread or elastic through it. Two extra holes, close to the bump or bead, will also host elastics. Thanks for any advice! This might become one of my dreams: a puppet number fitting entirely in a small suitcase! Background: The puppet shall be small, about a foot high. It will be built very much like a marionette, but will be a tabletop rod puppet. My goal is to make all the parts visible, and beautiful. No more hiding with clothing or fur. I might even include some of the tool marks as part of the intended texture. The head and hands will probably be paper mache, unless I live a sudden burst of technical growth, allowing me to sculpt the face directly in wood as well. This puppet needs very delicate feminine facial features and very delicate fingers. I already have a head prototype in paper mache, which I can fall back on. I want multiple sections in the torso, to provide graceful bending. They will be modified disks, with or without balls in between, with two elastics on both sides of the spine. Since there will be no legs, I am putting all my effort on the torso for the best movements. This puppet was intended for my first self-made puppet short film. It's still scheduled for it, but now, this film has turned into a stage puppet short number (solo). I had to accept this development, as the more I focused the movie in my head, the more the decisions made it into a stage tabletop number. The rods will be visible, and so will I. _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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