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I am a puppet builder. I have studied puppet building with a number of other builders and puppeteers. I have learned all kinds of ways to make puppets and their mechanism. I have books, drawings, notes, patterns, and the like all about making various forms of puppets. I have worked very hard for this knowledge.
When I started I didn’t really know anyone in puppetry and there were only a few books at the local library that I checked out as much as anyone would let me. From a couple of photos and drawing I learned the beginnings of puppet building. I searched for these books in various libraries and used book stores. I lucked into decent copies of Bil Baird’s Art of Puppetry and David Currell’s Complete Book of Puppetry.
These were great if I wanted to build marionettes or shadow puppets but I wanted to build soft hand and rod puppets and that was harder to discover.
Eventually I did meet other puppeteers and some showed me how they did what they do. Others kept their knowledge like a dragon hoards a golden trinket. People who could have save me months/years of experimentation with just teaching me a short cut or trick, wouldn’t do it. They were tighter lipped than just about every magician I have known. They had learned this super secret knowledge but didn't care to share.
I didn't like that. I thought it was rather crass and detrimental to puppetry as a whole. So I decided that I would be willing to share what I learned to anyone who wanted to know. I would give my better mousetrap out to the public and see if someone could take that and create one better.
Since then I have taught a lot of people the “secrets” to building puppets. I have shown people the patterns I use and the methods I apply to the problems of building a puppet.
I have been chided for doing so by some puppeteers. Their thought process is that if someone else knows how you do it then they are going to rip you off or sell it as their own idea to a toy company and make millions (OK not millions but some serious money). That someone will make it better and then your skill is not as unique and you might not be able to sell your puppets.
Well my puppets are going to look like my puppets because everyone’s style is a little different. The way I do the eyes is different than many peoples. How I do other parts of the build to allow the puppet to be a working puppet not an object d’art. Over the years I have learned to look at puppets and connect them either to their maker or their puppet lineage.
Also, as in doll making, there are only so many ways to make an arm. There are only so many ways to attach rods to puppets arms. There are only so many ways to make a mouth. People (re)discover how to do these things all the time.
What has changed is the materials available to do these things. Glues have gotten better. You can buy foam and fleece more easily. The Internet has made it easier to find those materials that you like to use to make puppets.
I am more than willing to teach others how I build my puppets. I hope that they take that knowledge and make their own. I also hope that down the road they teach someone else what I taught them so we have another generation of puppet builders and creature makers. I have been shown puppets people have done from tricks I taught them and it makes me feel good that I helped that person realize a dream for them to build a puppet.
It is knowledge to be shared and encouraged so that every time someone wants to start building puppets, they don't have to start at the beginning. They know how to assemble a good mousetrap so now they have the skills to make a better one.
When I started I didn’t really know anyone in puppetry and there were only a few books at the local library that I checked out as much as anyone would let me. From a couple of photos and drawing I learned the beginnings of puppet building. I searched for these books in various libraries and used book stores. I lucked into decent copies of Bil Baird’s Art of Puppetry and David Currell’s Complete Book of Puppetry.
These were great if I wanted to build marionettes or shadow puppets but I wanted to build soft hand and rod puppets and that was harder to discover.
Eventually I did meet other puppeteers and some showed me how they did what they do. Others kept their knowledge like a dragon hoards a golden trinket. People who could have save me months/years of experimentation with just teaching me a short cut or trick, wouldn’t do it. They were tighter lipped than just about every magician I have known. They had learned this super secret knowledge but didn't care to share.
I didn't like that. I thought it was rather crass and detrimental to puppetry as a whole. So I decided that I would be willing to share what I learned to anyone who wanted to know. I would give my better mousetrap out to the public and see if someone could take that and create one better.
Since then I have taught a lot of people the “secrets” to building puppets. I have shown people the patterns I use and the methods I apply to the problems of building a puppet.
I have been chided for doing so by some puppeteers. Their thought process is that if someone else knows how you do it then they are going to rip you off or sell it as their own idea to a toy company and make millions (OK not millions but some serious money). That someone will make it better and then your skill is not as unique and you might not be able to sell your puppets.
Well my puppets are going to look like my puppets because everyone’s style is a little different. The way I do the eyes is different than many peoples. How I do other parts of the build to allow the puppet to be a working puppet not an object d’art. Over the years I have learned to look at puppets and connect them either to their maker or their puppet lineage.
Also, as in doll making, there are only so many ways to make an arm. There are only so many ways to attach rods to puppets arms. There are only so many ways to make a mouth. People (re)discover how to do these things all the time.
What has changed is the materials available to do these things. Glues have gotten better. You can buy foam and fleece more easily. The Internet has made it easier to find those materials that you like to use to make puppets.
I am more than willing to teach others how I build my puppets. I hope that they take that knowledge and make their own. I also hope that down the road they teach someone else what I taught them so we have another generation of puppet builders and creature makers. I have been shown puppets people have done from tricks I taught them and it makes me feel good that I helped that person realize a dream for them to build a puppet.
It is knowledge to be shared and encouraged so that every time someone wants to start building puppets, they don't have to start at the beginning. They know how to assemble a good mousetrap so now they have the skills to make a better one.
