Puppetry is an enchanting art form that has captivated audiences for centuries. From hand puppets to marionettes, each puppet brings its own unique charm and character to life. One crucial aspect of puppet construction often overlooked is the footwear. Puppet shoes contribute to the overall visual appeal of the character.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of making puppet shoes. Whether you’re a seasoned puppeteer or a passionate beginner, this step-by-step tutorial will help you create custom footwear that perfectly complements your puppet’s personality.
The pattern can be modified to make high heels, or flat shoes.
By following our instructions and utilizing the provided pattern, you’ll learn how to fashion sturdy, and aesthetically pleasing shoes that will enhance your puppet’s performance on stage or screen. So, gather your materials, unleash your creativity, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of puppet shoe crafting!
Print out the pattern on an 8 1/2″x11″ sheet of paper or cardstock (preferred).
The pattern can be enlarged or shrunk to fit your puppet.
Apply contact cement to the sides of the front par and around the outside edge of the outer sole.
Wrap the front piece onto the edges of the outer sole.
Glue the two long ends of the back parts together.
Glue the bottom of the assembled back piece to the outer sole.
Glue the short front edges of the back piece to the edge of the front part.
Glue the inner sole inside the shoe if desired to fill it up.
Cover the foam with felt or other materials.
You can cut down the back part where it curls up if you are looking for more of a dress shoe or sneaker look. The toe of the pattern can also be rounded off before assembly.
For high heels, add a block of foam or cylinder of foam of the desired height to the back bottom of the show. Cover the heel with material before attaching to the shoe.
If you cover the shoe with DecoArt® MagiKote, you can paint it the color of your chocice.
I usually wrap felt around the shoe and glue it to the bottom. Then I take a second “outer sole” I have cut from EVA foam and colored with paint or sharpie, and glue to the bottom of the shoe.
Shoe laces can be glued to the shoe in a shoe lace pattern if desired.
I often buy toddler shoes at the Goodwill for my puppets, but this pattern makes for quick, inexpensive shoes or custom shoes.
Starting a puppet troupe can be a fun and rewarding way to express your creativity while also entertaining audiences of all ages. Puppetry is an ancient art form that has been used to convey stories, morals, and messages for centuries. Whether you are interested in creating educational shows for children or performing intricate and entertaining puppetry for adults, starting a puppet troupe can be a great way to bring your vision to life. However, forming a successful puppet troupe takes careful planning, creative vision, and a lot of hard work. In this article, we will explore the steps involved in starting a puppet troupe, from creating a vision and building a team to designing and performing shows.
Building a puppet troupe or company requires a combination of artistic talent, business acumen, and a clear vision for the troupe’s mission and goals. Here are some steps to follow when building a puppet troupe or company:
Develop a clear mission and goals: Before you start building your troupe, it’s important to have a clear vision for the troupe’s mission and goals. This might include a focus on a specific type of puppetry, a certain audience demographic, or a specific style of performance. Having a clear mission and goals will help guide your decisions and ensure that the troupe is moving in the right direction.
Assemble a team: Building a puppet troupe or company requires a team of dedicated and talented individuals. This might include puppeteers, designers, builders, writers, and other professionals. Assemble a team of individuals who share your passion for puppetry and who have the skills and experience to help bring your troupe’s mission and goals to life.
Create a business plan: A business plan is essential for outlining the financial and logistical aspects of the troupe. It should include information on funding, budgeting, marketing, and other business-related matters. A well-written business plan will help to ensure that the troupe is financially viable and that it has a clear strategy for growth and success.
Start creating content: Once you have assembled a team and developed a business plan, it’s time to start creating content. This might include writing scripts, designing and building puppets, and rehearsing and performing shows. The quality of your content is essential for building a successful troupe, so be sure to invest time and resources into creating high-quality work.
Build an audience: Building an audience is essential for the success of your troupe. This might involve performing at festivals, community events, schools, and other venues. Use social media and other marketing strategies to promote your troupe and to build an audience.
Be flexible and adaptive: Building a puppet troupe or company is an ongoing process, and it’s important to be flexible and adaptive as you grow and evolve. Be open to feedback and be willing to make changes as necessary. This might include adjusting your mission and goals, experimenting with different types of puppetry, or changing your marketing strategies.
Network and collaborate: Building a puppet troupe or company is a collaborative process, and it’s important to network and collaborate with other professionals in the field. This might include other puppeteers, directors, producers, or other professionals who can provide support, advice, and opportunities for collaboration.
Get funding: Building a puppet troupe or company requires funding, which can come from a variety of sources such as grants, crowdfunding, and sponsorships. Research different funding options and apply for grants and sponsorships that align with your troupe’s mission and goals.
Get Insurance: As a business, it’s important to have insurance to cover your equipment, your performers and any other aspect that may be at risk. This can include liability insurance, property insurance and more. Make sure to research different options and find the coverage that works best for your troupe.
Continuously evaluate and improve: Building a puppet troupe or company is an ongoing process, and it’s important to continuously evaluate and improve. This might include analyzing audience feedback, adjusting your mission and goals, and experimenting with new types of puppetry.
Building a puppet troupe or company is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. By assembling a talented team, creating high-quality content, building an audience, and being flexible and adaptive, you can create a successful and sustainable troupe. Additionally, it’s important to network and collaborate with other professionals in the field, get funding, get insurance and continuously evaluate and improve. With hard work and dedication, you can turn your passion for puppetry into a successful and rewarding career.
As a ventriloquist, choosing the right figure for your performances is crucial. Hard and soft figures each have their own unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages that can impact the quality of your act. Whether you’re a beginner just starting out, or an experienced performer looking to upgrade your figure, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each option to make an informed decision. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between hard and soft figures in ventriloquism, and provide some helpful tips and advice to help you choose the right figure for your needs.
As a professional ventriloquist, I can tell you that there are certainly advantages to using a hard figure versus a soft figure in performances.
One of the biggest advantages of a hard figure is its durability. These figures are typically made out of materials like wood, plastic or fiberglass, which can withstand a lot of wear and tear over time. This means that hard figures can be used over and over again, without needing to be repaired or replaced as often as soft figures.
Ventriloquist with hard figure
In addition to their durability, hard figures can also be designed with more intricate details and features. This can be especially important for ventriloquists who want their figures to have a specific look or personality. With a hard figure, you can add features like movable eyes, eyebrows, and mouths that can really bring your character to life on stage.
Another advantage of a hard figure is that they tend to be easier to control than soft figures. This is because they have a fixed shape and structure, which can help to limit unintentional movements or shaking. With a hard figure, a ventriloquist can easily manipulate the figure’s movements and expressions, creating a more seamless and polished performance.
That being said, there are certainly advantages to using a soft figure as well. Soft figures are often lighter and more portable than hard figures, which can be an advantage when traveling to different performance locations. Additionally, soft figures can be more comfortable to hold and manipulate for longer periods of time, which can be important for ventriloquists who perform frequently.
There are also advantages to using a soft figure over a hard figure for performances.
One of the biggest advantages of a soft figure is its versatility. These figures are typically made out of materials like foam, fabric, and latex, which can be easily molded and shaped into a wide variety of different character designs. This means that soft figures can be customized to fit the unique needs and preferences of a particular ventriloquist, allowing for greater creativity and expression on stage.
Dennis Regling with Roscoe
Another advantage of a soft figure is that it can be more expressive and lifelike than a hard figure. Soft figures can be designed with movable features like eyebrows, eyelids, and mouths that can be manipulated to create a wide range of different expressions and emotions. This can help to bring the character to life in a more dynamic and engaging way, and make the performance more memorable for the audience.
Soft figures are also generally lighter and more comfortable to hold and manipulate for long periods of time. This can be especially important for ventriloquists who perform frequently, as it can help to reduce fatigue and improve overall performance quality.
Finally, soft figures are often more affordable than hard figures, making them a great option for beginner ventriloquists who are just starting out. Soft figures can also be easier to repair and maintain over time, as the materials used to make them are generally more accessible and easier to work with than those used to make hard figures.
Of for those who are looking for a more versatile, expressive, and affordable option, a soft figure can be an excellent choice.
While hard figures can be durable and visually impressive, they also have some disadvantages that should be carefully considered before making a final decision.
One of the biggest disadvantages of a hard figure is its lack of flexibility. Hard figures are typically made out of rigid materials like wood, plastic, or fiberglass, which can make them more challenging to manipulate than soft figures. This can limit the range of expressions and movements that the ventriloquist can create, which can make the performance less dynamic and engaging for the audience.
Ventriloquist with hard figure
Another disadvantage of a hard figure is its weight. Hard figures can be much heavier than soft figures, which can make them more difficult to hold and manipulate for long periods of time. This can lead to fatigue and discomfort for the ventriloquist, which can impact the overall quality of the performance.
Hard figures can also be more expensive than soft figures, especially if they are custom-made or designed with complex features. This can be a barrier for beginner ventriloquists who are just starting out, or for those who are working with limited budgets.
Kevin T Boekhoff says, “I like both. The thing I like best about soft puppets is that they are more flexible. You can twist them, bend them at the stomach when they are tickled etc. Little kids like huggable soft puppets. Hard puppets last longer, I think. The foam and material gives out after a while. I think the hard puppets have taken a beating with the horror movies. Basically, I believe it comes down to a vent’s preference.”
Finally, hard figures can be more prone to damage than soft figures. Because they are made out of rigid materials, they can be more susceptible to cracks, dents, and other types of physical damage. This can be especially problematic for ventriloquists who travel frequently or perform in a variety of different venues, as the figure may need to be repaired or replaced more frequently than a soft figure would.
There are also some disadvantages of choosing a soft figure that are important to consider.
One of the biggest disadvantages of a soft figure is that it can be more difficult to control than a hard figure. Soft figures are made out of flexible materials that can be more prone to unintentional movements or shaking, which can be especially challenging for ventriloquists who are just starting out. It can take a lot of practice and skill to master the nuances of manipulating a soft figure, and even experienced ventriloquists can struggle with maintaining precise control over the figure’s movements and expressions.
Another disadvantage of a soft figure is its durability. While some soft figures can be quite durable and long-lasting, others can be prone to wear and tear over time. This is especially true if the figure is made out of materials like foam or latex, which can deteriorate or tear with repeated use. This means that ventriloquists who use soft figures may need to replace their figures more frequently than those who use hard figures, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
Puppets: Storage is key
Soft figures can also be more challenging to design and customize than hard figures. While soft figures can be shaped and molded into a wide variety of different designs, they can be more difficult to modify or repair once they have been made. This can be a limitation for ventriloquists who want to create specific features or expressions for their characters.
Finally, soft figures can be more difficult to transport and store than hard figures. Because they are made out of flexible materials, they can be prone to damage if they are not stored properly or if they are exposed to extreme temperatures or humidity.
Overall, the choice between a hard figure and a soft figure really depends on the individual preferences and needs of the ventriloquist. Both types of figures have their own unique advantages, and ultimately, it’s up to the performer to decide which type of figure works best for them and their style of performance.
Today we’re gonna be looking at puppet props.The world of props is just limitless. But we’re going to narrow it down in this short article and look at a couple of things that you can use a couple of methods that you can use for props.
One of the first things that I look for when I look for a prop for my puppets is really a child’s toy. Children’s toys are great, whether little soft preschool toys or play food play tools anything like that, they work great as props.
One of the ways to use them is to use paint sticks. These stir sticks that you get for free when you buy paint.
Paint sticks
If you paint ’em black, they tend to disappear, and you put some Velcro on ’em and you can adhere them to just about anything. And so now my puppet can hold my prop.
And a little tip about this. I always put my stiff part onto the prop stick that I’m gonna be using for a variety of props. And then I put all that leftover stuff on all of my toys and and whatnot. And it works great for a variety of things.
Children’s toys are great for props. You can even use a rubber band to attach a prop to the puppet’s hand. And it looks like they’re holding it.
Children’s toy musical instruments, toy food, etc. make great puppet props.
When you’re behind a stage it works great to have the puppet’s arm down, and just use the paint stick with prop, like a separate puppet, but it will look like your puppet is holing it.
Another great thing for props for puppets are real items, and it works the same way. Real objects, if they’re small enough and light enough work great,
Another great source for prop items I’ve found are dog toys. You find ’em at pet stores, and they work great for puppet props. And they’re gonna last a long time because they’re, they’re made to be chewed on. So these are great as well.
You can find a lot of things that resemble real items. But they’re made pretend. Halloween props are made of light plastic, but made to look real. And it is great for puppet skits and puppet props because it looks, it looks real. It looks like a heavy item, but it’s really very, very light. It’s easy to manipulate with a puppet arm rod or to use for set pieces.
This big heavy looking chain is actually plastic.
And so if you look for you know, around Halloween, you can find stuff like this. But you can also find stuff you just kind of Google plastic chains or plastic hammers. You’d be surprised what you find.
You can find other items, probably more for costuming, like jewelry and glasse. You can put a variety of things on puppets as well.
Probably my all time favorite thing to use for puppet props is You can find pictures of just about anything that you can turn into a prop.
One year I printed out pictures of the front and back of a cell phone, mounted them on foam core board and made a cell phone for my puppet. It was really light and I was able to attach it securely just using tape.
You can even use your phone and take a picture of an object and then print ’em off. You can also use printed items like that for set pieces. And so there’s just a variety of things that you can do with printed images. And when you can’t print them, you can draw ’em yourself.
That’s a quick rundown on puppet props. If you’ve got some questions about some things or you want to me to show you how to do some things just drop that down in the comments and I will put together some how-to things for puppet props and some upcoming episodes.
Today we’re gonna spend some time looking at the different types of puppets that are available for you to use. These are puppets that you can purchase, puppets that you can build puppets, or that you can recycle from other things. There’s just a lot of opportunities out there, and so you can spend a little bit or a lot of money on puppets, and it really depends on what you want to do with them and how you’re gonna use them.
There are a couple of different styles of puppets. So the first puppet that we’re gonna look at is probably the simplest, most basic puppet, but you can pretty do some pretty dramatic things with them. We’re gonna look at some finger puppets.
Table of Contents
Finger Puppets
Finger Puppets
And so finger puppets come in a variety of styles. These are typically the ones that you’re gonna find in a toy store. And so let’s look at a couple of those.
Some are basically just, just fingers little characters like that all the way up to a lot of these style of puppets that look like animals. And so you can find a variety of these little bitty finger puppets and a lot of different animal styles.
Hand Puppets
These are a little bit more involved. They are more like a glove. You have a finger that goes up inside the head and then a finger that goes in the arms. And yeah, if your hand fit, then you can move his head. You can move his arms and you can kind of tell some stories. I remember right, Mr. Rogers puppets kind of did that. There was not a lot of moving mouths, a lot of head nobbing nodding and, and movement.
And so they’re fun, they look great, they’re simple, they’re easy to package, store and carry. So it takes a little bit of work to figure out how you’re gonna use ’em, but those are great.
Rod Puppets
Rod or Stick Puppets
Okay, our next style of puppet is the rod puppet. And these can be as simple as a picture on a stick. Print our some pictures on cardstock on two sides, reverse them, cut them out, and mount them on an old arm rod and a stick. And they came out really well, especially on a black background or a white, a blue background.
You could make ’em talk just by giving ’em a little nod. They’re very simple to make, again a printer, a computer, and a stick. So that’s a simple arm rod a simple rod puppet. You can get a little bit more involved by.
Basically a rot puppet is puppet on a stick.
Moving Mouth Puppets & Rod Arm Puppets
This is a moving mouth puppet my daughter Ellie built.
The next group of puppets are probably the ones we most associate puppetry with, and that’s the moving mouth puppets. Most of us probably are familiar with the Muppets, and so these are sometimes called Muppet style puppets. But they’re basically a hinged moving mouth puppet, and you can kind of start from the very bottom and move your way up into complexity and cost.
Moving mouth puppets may or may not come with arms. If they have arms, they will often come with arm rods for movement or you can attach your own arm rods.
Human-Armed Puppets
A human armed puppet has, a sleeve with a entryway in the back and your hand simply goes through and comes out the sleeve of the shirt. And then you can hold things and move things. You can use your hand or a lot of ’em will come with a glove that matches the skin of the puppet. You operate these by yourself, or if you have somebody else with you, they can do the hands or they can do one of the hands. I think it’s easier if I have somebody that’s just doing the hands. Sometimes it’s gets a little detached from the body cuz you’re you’ve got one brain operating the head and the mouth and another one operating the arms.
Human hand puppet
But with a little bit of practice you can do some pretty neat stuff. You can do a lot of things cuz you can grab things and move things and manipulate things. It just takes a little bit of practice.
That basically is the different styles of puppets. When choosing a puppet, you can decide on your performance, your skit what you’re gonna do what you need. Do you need people puppets? Do you need animal puppets? Do you want some, some monster puppets that do things? What are you gonna do and what will you use most?
Tips
A couple of tips that I have for puppetry is, number one, if you’re gonna be doing skits of somesort with people puppets, then get some generic puppets that you can change the costumes with. If you buy a fireman with everything mounted on him he’s pretty well gonna stay a fireman.
But if you got just a general person, you can change his shirt. You can put a jacket on there, you can put a hat on, you can put some glasses on him. You can do all kinds of things to him. And he can be anything you want him to. He can be a cowboy from the old West. Put on a robe and he can be a Bible character. He can be a detective.
When you get a generic character you have the flexibility of changing his costumes in his character.
So a another tip that I like, a lot of times I will build wild colored puppets instead of the human skin tone puppets. I like being able to have an audience that can identify with my puppets and it not be connected with skin color. Think again of the Muppets. Ernie & Bert are orange and yellow. These guys will identify with everybody.
That’s not a rule, it’s just an opinion. I also have some, some puppets with different skin colors. But I like using different colored guys. They’re unusual, they stand out and they’re fun. And then everybody can pretty well identify with them.
Another tip is to find puppets that have some good mouth grips inside. Look for finger tubes or straps. You will have much better control.
Another thing to consider is what is going to be your setting for your puppets? Are you going to use a stage? Are you going to be walking around holding a puppet? What, what are you gonna do? A lot of the times with your full body puppets, body puppets that have legs on them are used for ventriloquism. And they sit out in front of the audience. And so it’s only natural that they have legs.
If you were to use these on a, on a typical puppet stage where the puppets are over your head sometimes these legs get in the way. And so these are a little harder to use. Also, the entry is through the back instead of up underneath. You can make it work, you can go up underneath the shirt but a lot of times they’re in the back of the head.
These are a little difficult to do on a stage because your arm becomes visible. If you’re going to use a puppet stage you wanna get a puppet that has entry at the bottom that your hand is going to go up and be hidden while you do that performance.
Now there are some puppets that that I use that don’t use a stage and they’re not ventriloquist puppets. I’ll pull the puppet out by simply putting my hand in the bag. I’m loading the puppet, and when I come out, he is already on my arm, on my hand. And I simply hold them. And it’s amazing how many people eventually quit paying attention to me or the fact that he’s a puppet and they just engage with the puppet.
Me and my bird puppet from Axtell
One way I use puppets is by letting them whisper in my ear. Then I respond to what they have said.
And I’ve, it’s amazing how many people gear into the character of this puppet. They forget that he’s a puppet and they just engage with him. And so it’s, it’s learning how to move him and maneuver him and making him realistic.
And I’ve even had kids tell me that they swear they could hear him talking. And so you can have a lot of fun with him. With this guy, I don’t have to use a stage.
Now I will tell you this, if you take your puppet off in front of the audience, it ruins the whole thing here. They don’t realize it’s a puppet or they don’t connect it, but if you take him off, you’re gonna blow the whole thing. So the way you take him off is you put the, put him back in the bag and you pull your arm out and he’s in the bag.
Puppetry is a versatile and ancient art form that has been used in various forms of performance, including theatre, dance, and other performance art forms. The use of puppetry in these medi- ums allows for a unique form of storytelling and expression that can captivate audiences of all ages.
In theatre, puppets have been used for centuries as a way to tell stories and convey messages. From traditional hand puppets to more modern forms of puppetry such as marionettes and shadow puppets, each type of puppet offers a unique way to tell a story. Hand puppets, for ex- ample, are often used in children’s theatre and are a great way to introduce young audiences to the world of puppetry. Marionettes, on the other hand, offer a more sophisticated form of pup- petry that can be used to tell more complex stories. Shadow puppets, which are made from cut- out figures that are placed in front of a light source, offer a unique form of storytelling that is both mysterious and captivating.
In dance, puppetry can be used to create a visual spectacle that complements the movement of the dancers. Puppets can be used to tell a story through movement, and can be manipulated by dancers or puppeteers to create a dynamic and visually striking performance. One example is the use of Bunraku puppets in traditional Japanese dance performances. These puppets, which are operated by three puppeteers, are used to tell stories and convey emotion through move- ment.
Puppetry can also be used in other forms of performance art such as street performance, where puppets can be used to entertain and engage with audiences in a public setting. In this context, puppets can be used to tell stories, convey messages, or simply provide a visual spectacle.
In conclusion, puppetry is a versatile and ancient art form that has been used in various forms of performance, including theatre, dance, and other performance art forms. The use of puppetry in these mediums allows for a unique form of storytelling and expression that can captivate audi- ences of all ages. Puppetry offers a wide range of possibilities, whether it’s to tell a story, con- vey a message, or create a visual spectacle, and it will continue to be an important part of performance art in the future.
Integrating puppetry with other mediums such as music and visual art can enhance the overall performance and create a more immersive experience for audiences.
One way puppetry can be integrated with music is through the use of live music accompaniment during a puppetry performance. This can add an extra layer of emotion and atmosphere to the performance, as the music can be used to underscore the action on stage and enhance the mood of the story being told. In addition, puppets themselves can be designed to incorporate elements of music, such as strings or bells, to create a more dynamic and interactive performance.
Visual art can also be integrated with puppetry through the use of set design, lighting, and projections. For example, a puppet performance can be enhanced by incorporating projections of visual art onto the stage, creating a more immersive and dynamic performance. Set design can also be used to create a more visually striking performance, such as incorporating large-scale sculptures or other visual elements into the set. Lighting can also be used to create different moods and atmosphere throughout the performance.
Puppetry and technology can also be combined to create a more engaging and interactive performance. For example, puppets can be manipulated through the use of digital puppetry, where the puppeteer controls the movements of the puppet through the use of technology such as robotics or motion capture. This can create a more lifelike performance and offer new possibilities for storytelling and expression.
In conclusion, integrating puppetry with other mediums such as music and visual art can enhance the overall performance and create a more immersive experience for audiences. The combination of these mediums can create a more dynamic and visually striking performance, and new technologies can offer new possibilities for storytelling and expression.
