PUPPET WORK - January 17th, 2012

Sacked Out On The Couch
I actually found some time to work on one of the puppets today! It always amazes whenever I get anything extra done during the day.

Tristan is full time job at this point, and sometimes I think its 'his' full time job, to make sure I know it! :)

Stopmotion Puppet head © 2012 Jeff Lafferty
First I sanded down the eyebrows a little on this puppet. I figured it would work better if there wasn’t such a ridge, once I’m trying to move the replaceable eyebrows around and emote feeling.

Stopmotion Puppet head © 2012 Jeff Lafferty
Next I trimmed down the neck a bit.

I originally made the neck from urethane foam with a painted latex skin. It worked great, but I always thought it looked too thick for the head.

So I opened up the back with a sharp knife, cut out some of the padding and resealed it with some hot glue.
Stopmotion Puppet head © 2012 Jeff Lafferty
Worked out pretty well, and since the hot glue dries flexible, it shouldn’t ever crack.

I don’t think I could get away with that seam out where everyone could see it, but painted and then tucked back beneath the shirt collar, I’m sure it will be fine.

See you all tomorrow.
Jeff
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

what material to make the face of the wonderful puppet

Albrecht

Shelley Noble said...

That seems one happy, healthy, well cared-for baby, Jeff. You both must be doing a supremely great job of raising him. Before you know it, he'll be helping you get artwork done.

That puppet looks so good.

M-Flem-Jr said...

Looking good Jeff, glad to see some work on the puppets! What's that rope/wick thing coming out of the back of his head? Is that for his hair?

Jeff Lafferty said...

The puppet faces are made from a polymer clay, its called Super Sculpy. The Sculpy is cooked hard, and I embed magnets to hold the faces on. The eyes are dolls eyes that I just buy.(there for a specific kind of doll, called a BJD doll)
Thanks for the great comment Albrecht!

Thanks Shelly, I hope we're doing right, in the way we're raising him. He's already 'helping' me draw, I'll have to post the pictures of him at my table.

Thanks Mike, its a piece of wire for his pony tail.

I hope I'm not stealing your thunder by going ahead with my version of the puppets. I'm sure your sculpt would have been much more professional than what I can come up with, but I just find myself wanting to go forward.

It doesn't mean you cant throw in and help if you want to, but I don't want to back track and remake everything.

All this stuff has made me realize, I'm about 1/3 of a puppet way from being able to shoot the first scene! Whether it turns out good bad or indifferent, I just want to see what its actually going to be.

Jeff