Strings

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Comment by Fred Thompson 1 day ago

Greetings ALL. Those who know me will laugh when I write that at this point, I have nothing to say. But I have been 'lurking' here for quite a while and enjoying much of what's been posted. I hope to make some contributions in the near future - if I feel I can add anything. But given that it's already a kind of 'marionette brain trust,' I think I'll just sit back and learn. Great to be here. Thanks

Comment by Buddy Big Mountain on August 27, 2010 at 11:36pm

Greetings to all. I am happy to be a part of strings.

Comment by Fan of Marionettes on July 16, 2010 at 3:28pm

=D Here´s the first part of a really cool movie, where marionettes are playing the WHOLE story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgyh8k6Dmwg

Comment by Fan of Marionettes on July 13, 2010 at 6:46am

Wow, so amny wise people here who wrote so many good tips and advices. That´s cool. I hope I can improove my skills. ^^ A lovely group here.

Comment by AMCreatures on May 27, 2009 at 9:58pm

marionettes,table-top and rod puppets (not muppets) privat lessons/workshop/tutoring in Toronto,if you're interesting please contact me alexmargold@gmail.com

Comment by Guy Thompson on May 27, 2009 at 12:28pm

Plug for Puppetfest Midwest:
Phillip mentioned his workshop on marionette design at Puppetfest midwest. I took that class four years ago and can safely say it saved me ten years (or more) of making mistakes in building marionettes. I can now take an idea, draw it out and, with a few exceptions, get a marionette that does what I want it to do pretty much straight away. I'd go again in a heartbeat if my schedule allowed.
Luman Coad's Marionette sourcebook is also an excellent reference for those building their own marionettes.

Comment by Phillip Huber on May 27, 2009 at 9:32am

A good marionette is not necessarily one that is beutifully carved. It is the jointing, stringing & line of balance that allows it to move well & have a unique personality. Joints can be very simple, like stuffed cloth with muslin tabs or even ordinary hinges on peices of doweling. It is important that all of the joints be considered carefully to fit the specific movement that you want from the character. Joints that allow twisting when you only need a straight bend can cause problems during manipultaion. Joints that only allow a 90 degree bend instead of 120 may restrict movement too much. For example, to make a hand that can reach up & touch the marionette's face or hair you will need wrist joints & shoulder joints that have some twist in them & an elbow joint that at least bends to 120 degrees. If you make a series of marionettes with identical joints & identical stringing, they will all have a similar movement pattern & limited opportunity to bring out a unique character for each.
The costume will also influence movement. Fabric that is too stiff can trap a marionette into awkward & restricted movement. If a body is made too loose & seems to flop around uncontrollably, sometimes the costume will be just enough to bring all the parts together as a unified whole.
There are an infinite number of ways to subtly change the movement of a marionette. That is why it is such a fascinating instrument to perform.

For those interested in learning more. I will be giving an intensive class on marionette design at the PUPPETFEST MIDWEST July 7-12. To find out more, connect to :http://www.puppetfestival.org

Comment by jowanneke on February 1, 2009 at 11:09am

Nice, a group of string-loving people.
I´m originally a sculptor, but I want to make film with string-driven puppets.
Here´s my latest demon-puppet in clay, later he will be transformed into rubber, given eyes and coloured.

Comment by Tony on August 1, 2008 at 1:49pm

"If you have no old world skills of carving marionettes out of wood & you are just begining; how do you create marionettes that are in a line of balance. So they are weighted properly in movement?"

Trial and error usually. Add weight to areas to compensate. Try and get centre of gravity of marionette in the right place first then work from there.

Comment by FlaCracker on July 11, 2008 at 8:35pm

If you have no old world skills of carving marionettes out of wood & you are just begining; how do you create marionettes that are in a line of balance. So they are weighted properly in movement?

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