Heron puppet
The head and neck are operated by your right hand , the mouth opens and its mohawk moves up and down.These are operated using guitar strings with rings at the end.
By pushing a handle at the back of the bird his wings open. The mechanism is similar to that of an umbrella.The wings flap if you squat up and down .His feet are operated by my feet ,which have poles extending from them.
The mechanisms in the head of the bird can be seen in this picture.As the strings are pulled these mechanisms work causing the mohawk to move up and down as the string pulls a hinged rod.The beak has a spring in between the upper and lower beak which closes it after it has been pulled and opened.
The inner workings of the puppets are under floor heating pipes,plastic pipes,nuts and bolts,metal rods,weed cover,gardening rods and metal mesh. Some of the feathers have two rods on them to guide them as the wings open and close
Video showing early workings of the bird in action.
what is the chest piece that you are using made out of to support the puppet?
ReplyDeleteThis is both an incredible puppet visually and a really nice walk through of the construction! Thanks! I'm sure there finished puppet was a masterpiece. I cannot see the moving puppet unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI'm working in fleece myself and dying to learn other mediums. Thanks, Beth
@Puppetville