From: "David Ness" <dness-AT-execpc.com> Subject: PUPT: Re: puptcrit-digest V1 #529 Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 07:17:27 -0600 >From: Dan Vie <foolish-AT-smartt.com> >Subject: PUPT: Re: giant puppet methods > >Thomas: > >At 09:43 AM 1/13/99 -0500, tcrubino-AT-inna.net wrote: > >>>We are Alliance to Save the Mattaponi - A Virginia Environmental Group >>trying to protect our local Mattaponi River from a giant reservoir. >>> >>>We need to construct a big puppet to be used in a long march / >>demonstration. I have seen puppets of this type on video of New >>>Orleans & Rio Festivals. They stand over 10' high & are operated by >>walking puppeteers from long poles attached to puppets hands feet & head. >>> >>>I am seeking photos & dscriptions of the construction particulars. >>>Can you help us defend this river? >> >>>Thomas C. Rubino >>>HCR 2 Box 25 - D >>>King & Queen, Va. 23085 >>> tcrubino-AT-inna.net > >Hi thomas: > >I'm a giant puppeteer in Vancouver, Canada. > >via the puppetry page at >http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/definitions/index.html#giant, > >find the Puppeteer's Cooperative. Sara Peattie has put her book of Bread >and Puppet designs on-line. As well, she has a video of how to build >giants. > >Also, if you can, find a copy of "Engineers of the Imagination - the >Welfare State Handbook" >by Tony Coult and Baz Kershaw, Routledge PRess. It has many design plans >for large scale construction. > >The design Douglas outlines below is fairly labour >intensive.Bamboo/willow framing is THE classic method, but takes quite a >knack to learn. The makers must be careful >to minimize the weight of materials, especially for puppets suited for a >long march. Even paper-mache when layered for strength gets HEAVY very >quickly. Balance is crucial, as well as a strong pack frame with a very >well padded hip belt. The hip belt takes a large part of the weight. >Puppet height somewhat depends on the height of the carrier. > >If you do go for paper-mache, one of our favorite tricks is bakery flour >sacks. This very thick paper is torn into scraps and soaked for a couple >days in water. This heavy paper, applied using pre-mix wallpaper paste, >sets up quick and hard and nice textured, and avoids labour on multiple >layering. > >Although I prefer full-body puppets,for beginner puppetmakers a very >decent alternative is to concentrate on a simple, expressive >(well-painted) head. This is then mounted on a long pole with a T-cross >at the top for the shoulders. The puppet costume is simply a strong >color/pattern cloth that hangs from these shoulders. Synthetic fabrics >more waterproof. The arms are on ropes with 2-d hands cut from foam-core >etc, and operated on bamboo sticks. This 'pole puppet' can easily be >carried by one operator slung in a hip can - a juice can slung by a band >of strong cloth around the back of one's neck. The head can even be two >dimensional caricature, tho this makes the figure very frontal. The >principle is, especially within the constraints of political work: quick >and dirty ROUGH style can be just as expressive. If the puppeteer gives >it good movement, the results will be magic. > >One anecdote: I was skeptical when a friend created a flock of great blue >herons using scrap lumber, bedsheets, and crude cardboard heads... but >when these birds were flying in a flock in the wind, the ensemble looked >absolutely incredible! Rough works too. > >best, > >dan vie >vancouver >foolish-AT-smartt.com > >cc: puptcrit, artery > >>ate: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 21:42:28 -0000 >>From: "Douglas O'Connell" <douglas.oconnell-AT-mail.ndirect.co.uk> >>Subject: Re: PUPT: Re: Giant Puppets >> >>Steve, >>Do you have an E-mail adress for Thomas? Being in London e-mail would be >>easier. >>Anyway big puppets are my life !!!! So I can e-mail plans directly. Other >>wise for everyone else here's a semi abridged version... >>Basically the puppet body is built off an aluminum back pack frame by using >>tall Bamboo poles for main frame support then using willow cane or split >>bambo to sculpt form. Willow and cane can be obtain from a garden supply >>company but have them refer you to a main supplier if possible because you >>can use quite a bit. Wholesale is much cheaper. For a large puppet you can >>use at least half a bushel of willow. Soak the willow in water so they bend >>easily. If you use split bamboo split the cane using a utility blade for the >>first split then split the whole cane down by wrenching a chisel into the >>crack as you run down the split turning the chisel at the bottom of the >>crack allowing the bamboo to split naturally. The bamboo and willow can be >>attached to each other using masking tape or white gaffa tape for a sturdier >>conection, especially when building the basic initial frame. >>Next, then the whole structure is covered with good quality tissue paper >> the type used for packaging) Buy it by the ream. The paper is torn like >>paper mache but in larger pieces and then is brushed with latex glue found >>at carpet supply stores) this is layered over the bamboo/ willow cane >>structure. The paper will get nice and tight when it dries. The puppet can >>be painted with acrylics for daytime parade or FEV ( French enamel varnish: >>which can be purchesed at Theatrical supply companies) if you want to make >>it a lantern puppet which can fitted with lights for night use. >>This types is very simple to build and very light weight,. Limbs can be >>attached to the main body with wire then a long pole can be attached to the >>puppets wrist or behind the knees for manipulation. >>As I said this is the basic instruction so please free to e-mail me with any >>further questions. >> >>Douglas >> >> --- Personal replies to: "Douglas O'Connell" >><douglas.oconnell-AT-mail.ndirect.co.uk> >> - > > > > --- Personal replies to: Dan Vie <foolish-AT-smartt.com> > --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > >------------------------------ > >Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 13:11:47 PST >From: "Murvin Foster" <redrooster33-AT-hotmail.com> >Subject: PUPT: Fettig puppets > >I recently purchased a copy of Fettig's most recent book. I am >interested to know about constructing a walking puppet like the ones >described in his book. Has anyone attempted to build one of his puppets >using materials from American suppliers? If you don't mind sharing, I >would love to hear about it. > >Are any of Fettig's shows available on video tape anywhere? > >- - Jon > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > > --- Personal replies to: "Murvin Foster" <redrooster33-AT-hotmail.com> > --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > >------------------------------ > >Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 22:02:30 -0500 >From: Joe Dunfee <joe-AT-dunfee.com> >Subject: Re: PUPT: Re: giant puppet methods > >>>>We need to construct a big puppet to be used in a long march / >>>demonstration. I have seen puppets of this type on video of New >>>>Orleans & Rio Festivals. They stand over 10' high & are operated by >>>walking puppeteers from long poles attached to puppets hands feet & head. > >>>>Thomas C. Rubino > > I reciently was involved in making just these kinds of puppets for a first >night celebration here in Miami. While I have seen a video on doing this >with paper mache, I very quickly decided that I didn't want to spend the >time paper mache requires. > I decided to use sheet foam rubber as the construction material, which >would be supported with inside pipes. I used carpet padding foam, and I had >found some yellow colored stuff, which could be re-colored with spray paint >fairly easily. It is glued with contact cement and is farily quick to >assemble. If you haven't worked with this material, another local puppeteer >should be able to show you. > The inside structure for two of the heads consisted of a single loop of >black plastic pipe. This was 3/4" diameter flexable pipe used for sprinklers >here in south florida. It is sold in large spools and naturally forms a >curve. I just taped a loop of it together with duct tape. Then I got some 1" >PVC pipe and dremeled out a groove in it to accept the black pipe so that >the PVC pipe formed the diameter of the black pipe, and was used to mount >the main support stick. I also added two half-circles of the black pipe >which helped for ... this is getting too hard do do in text form, I will try >some ASCII art... (you must view it in a mono-space font like courier) > > ____ > .' '. > / \ This is the top view of the > |==========| black pipe loop, with the > \ / PVC pipe across the diameter > '.____.' > > ____ > .' || '. > / || \ This is the top view of the > |====||====| the above, but with the two > \ || / half-circles added. See the > '._||_.'Side view below for how they fit > > ____ > .' || '. > / || \ This is the side view of the > |==========| the above, but with the two > > > With this construction method, I made 4' high heads, that were about 3' >wide. The real beneifit of this construction was that the majority of the >head could be squashed down to fit in a car. On one head, because it was so >wide it needed another loop of the black plastic further down, it couldn't >be squashed down nearly as much. So, the minmal internal rigid stucture the >better. > In our version, we decided not to try to do the legs, and the arms were >simply cloth. The hands were carried by two other people, and were >deliberately large to help the puppets have a bigger presence. > I should also mention another giant puppet made by another person had a >body, with legs, made out of pool noodles. The pool noodles had a hole down >the center, where a cord was run. The results were a very light weight >structure - even if it was thin and spindly for its height. > Next year they want us to lead community groups to make these giant >puppets. However, I now realize that this method won't work for that. It >took too much expertiese for me to develop the patterns for the foam, and >the glueing of the foam took some experience to do well. But with the free >labor, the time involved with the paper mache is a non-issue. > So, next year paper mache is going to be the medium. But based on the >difficulty transporting and storing these heads, FLAT is going to be an >important design decision. > > Oh yeah, let me recommend that you purchase 1-1/4" diameter SCH 20 PVC >pipe for the main support. Another puppeteer purcased 1" diameter, thicker >walled SCH 40 pipe, but it was heavier and not as strong as the 1-1/4" >diameter pipe. > For a long march, WEIGHT IS IMPORTANT! You will want to construct >flag-carrier belts. I was scared of using a back-pack because I was >concerned that a strong gust of wind would knock the person down or perhaps >injure their back. If you are using your hands to carry it, you can just let >go. Also, plan on replacement carriers along the parade route - with a few >stand-in's in mind. Even if one person can carry it that distance, don't >rely on it unless you have done this before. > >Joe Dunfee, joe-AT-dunfee.com >Miami, Florida USA > > > > --- Personal replies to: Joe Dunfee <joe-AT-dunfee.com> > --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > >------------------------------ > >Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 06:44:41 EST > >In a message dated 1/23/99 4:18:47 PM Eastern Standard Time, >redrooster33-AT-hotmail.com writes: > ><< I recently purchased a copy of Fettig's most recent book. I am > interested to know about constructing a walking puppet like the ones > described in his book. Has anyone attempted to build one of his puppets > using materials from American suppliers? If you don't mind sharing, I > would love to hear about it. > > Are any of Fettig's shows available on video tape anywhere? > > - Jon >> > > > --- Personal replies to: Rickpuppet-AT-aol.com > --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > >------------------------------ >-------- > >Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 20:13:39 -0600 >From: "Marcia" <megnik-AT-icenter.net> >Subject: Re: PUPT: PVC pipe as main support for parade puppets > >regarding the main support for large puppets..... when I made a couple for >a First Night parade several years ago..... we used an aluminum pole if I >remember right ! > >Regarding the body for the big puppets.... we used bamboo for a shape and >cloth over top ! I remember clearly the night I made the arms AND the >legs for them...(two puppets).... I took elastic and stretched it (along >the whole length) and sewed two lengths and then sewed a length in with the >seam.... it gathered the material wonderfully and the movement of the cloth >was incredible !!! I was soooo excited when I finished the first one... I >called my friend up.... and walked over (through the neighborhood) with >this bright orange piece of gathered tube !!! I had a great time !!! (the >puppets were ten feet.... so the arms were loooooonnnggg ) If anyone >decides to try something like this.... have someone else do the other limbs >so that you get to enjoy the first limb and they get to hate sewing with >the elastic ! :-) > >I think I am getting the itch to create some giant puppets again..... >anyone have any money to hire??? :-) > >Marcia >Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada > > > > --- Personal replies to: "Marcia" <megnik-AT-icenter.net> > --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu > > --- Personal replies to: "David Ness" <dness-AT-execpc.com> --- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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