Model Making: Session One

Making puppets for stop motion is something I have been looking forward to for a very long time. I tried to make my own puppets during the foundation course, but they ended up being really flimsy and because of this they wouldn't stand on their own. They also weren't very durable because of the materials I used, so instead I looked at making small Plasticine models for my animations. Since then I have wanted to extend my knowledge in making models but was never presented with the opportunity to, so I'm happy I finally have the chance as I thoroughly enjoy working with my hands.

To get started with our puppets, we twisting wire with a drill and threaded it through connectors to make the head/neck, the arms and the legs/feet, quite like a stick figure combined with Lego bricks. Once we had done this we padded out the puppet where necessary with paper and tape, to make the general body shape. We then had to make sure that the wire of the feet was clamped around the bolts we had screwed into our wooden stands so that the model could be attached to it. Once this was done, we applied Milliput to areas that we didn't want to move; once Milliput has dried, it is rock-solid. So, we covered the head and the limbs with Milliput, leaving the joints untouched so the character would be able to move realistically as well as making sure that the bolts in the feet were secured.

End of Session One

So far I'm really enjoying puppet making, and it's interesting to see where I was going wrong with puppets I have made in the past. I'm loving the fact that I'm working with my hands again, as it has been too long since I did anything like this, and I can't wait to see how successful I can or can't be with this puppet. Stop motion is definitely something I'd be interested in doing so I'd love for the rest of the sessions to go well.