Puppet building

Gryphern has created a cool DIY video on making a puppet that uses some internal linkages to control mouth movement and to wag it's tail. The action is run by your hand on the under-belly of the puppet. There are some nice illustrations to show how the linkages are put together along with some close-up shots of the tricky parts. The puppet takes little in the way of tools so is accessible to most folks, even with limited resources.

Puppet making is one of those seemingly simple activities that can teach multiple lessons and skills. Design. Simple machines. Construction.

Then when the puppet is done, a whole new set of lessons and skills can be developed. Writing. Storytelling. Drama. Oral Presentation.

I loved getting my middle schoolers to build puppets. They complained at the start as it being "for little kids" but as the projects went on, they always got more into it.




[Image captured from "How to make a puppet that bites and wags when held": Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBhoCtEKhE]

Puppet Technology

My tech lab had a station dedicated to puppet building. Puppets are a fun way to experiment with simple machines. A puppet mouth is usually designed around a lever. Arms and eyes are usually controlled by a linkage of some sort. Marionettes and shadow puppets have pretty complex mechanisms controlling their movements.

I added this module after I co-taught a technology/art class in my middle school. I had the grand idea of a multi-disciplinary class built around building puppets and then using them as the actors in short videos. I had the opportunity to run this class once with a group of eighth graders. The logistics of it gave us the biggest headaches. Storage of puppets and props. Where to film. How to work multiple groups through scripting, puppet building, video production and editing. I think we could have worked it all out if the art teacher hadn't gone off to teach at the high school. (I don't think working with me drove her away? I'm a nice guy...a little odd...but nice.)

Anyway, after that experience, I was hooked using puppets as an educational doorway to the wonderful world of technology. I was pleased to discover this blog dedicated to puppet building and I've linked to a video from the site that demonstrates how to make blinking eyeballs.



Online Videos by Veoh.com
[Image Captured from Puppetmaking.com: Moving Eyelid Mechanism Video Tutorial:http://puppetbuilding.com/animatronics/moving-eyelid-mechanism-video.html]