As an elementary school teacher I have the fortune of meeting and talking with a large number of parents about puppets and puppetry.  Last year a spoke with a mother of a student at my school who had wonderful  things to say about their “Muppet Vacation” in Jamaica.

Yes, that’s right.  At Beaches vacation spots there are walk around full body Muppets that interact with the visitors.  I am sure any puppet (or specifically Muppets) fan would love this kind of vacation.   

The truth is that I think this is a great idea.  Vactions are about relaxing and having fun.  Being a father now I can see how the latter is just as important as the former.  How cool wuld it be to have a party with Bert and Ernie?  Or go on a bug hunt with Grover?  I am already thinking about going with my family.  But I’ll have to start saving.  Read more about it here.

In my opinion Philip Hatter is an amazing young talent when it comes to puppets.  As the owner of Thistledown Puppets in Virginia, he has done a bunch of puppet videos for Youtube that has received some attention.  Most recently he has decided to make a little introduction video that has him talking a bit about his puppets and his studio.

I think this is a great idea.  It acts as a sort of demo reel, but with more of a personal touch.  After watching it, I feel like I know him personally.  This works really well in creating customer confidence.  I have long been planning to make my own demo reel and after watching this video I am convinced that I need to do it sooner than later.

Make sure that you check out some of the puppets that Philip has made and check out his new blog called Thistledown Puppets: Behind the Curtain.  Awesome job all around Philip!

As a puppet builder I have learned a lot about the craft (or technical aspects), but I have learned even more about how to appreciate the art behind truly beautiful puppets. After one look at the puppets from Whatta Character!! I found yet another artist whose work I truly admire. Artist/puppet builder Dave Pavelonis has truly outdone himself with the wonderful and sometimes breathtaking (at least for me) puppets that he has built.

It must be noted that these puppets are truly works of art. Sculpted from a solid block of foam, each one if filled with personality and life. As a puppet builder who admires detailed puppets, just look at some of the detail on these guys. I can only imagine the hours that go into each puppet.

As an artist Dave has many abilities that he can put to use (should you need them). He is an illustrator as well as a sculptor.

Want to see these beautiful puppets in action? Simply click here to see Whatta Character’s video demo (please note this is a direct link to a quicktime file). You can also see one of the videos posted on You Tube by clicking here.

If you would like to find out more about Whatta Character!! drop Dave an email. He is a really nice guy and I am sure he would love to work with you on your next project.

I hope you have been as inspired by these puppets as I have. I feel like building right now.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - NEW!
On Display December 8, 2006 - January 7, 2007

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see two ORIGINAL stop-motion puppets from the much loved 1964 Rankin/Bass TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Presumed lost or destroyed for over 30 years, these rare puppets surfaced in 2005 and have been recently restored to their original condition. Up until now, these characters have only made brief appearances at a few select trade shows. The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta is proud to be the first museum in the world to exhibit these incredibly rare puppets for public viewing.

There has long been the debate as to whether stop motion animation is puppetry. I will not get into that here. No, I have no time for that debate because I am fixated on this unbelievably wonderful stop motion “puppet”.

The creation of artist Mark Ho from the Netherlands. I have a strong admiration for the design and creation of puppets with a strong focus on detail and precision. It is not hard to understand why I would love this puppet.

Even the contrasting colours of the puppet sculpture has an amazing beauty to it. I hope that others can find inspiration from Mark Ho and continue to challenge themselves to make their puppets, more that just glue, foam and fabric.

I remember while in university that my art teacher once said, “Art is not just execution, but it is also intention.”

If you build your puppets as works of art, putting a bit of yourself into them, focusing your energy, if you have something inside you that you want to get out……..it will show in your final product.

Happy building everyone.

There’s a new Guru in town. Through his BLOG (and Youtube) Puppetji makes clear all the questions in life. I believe it is a little P.I. (Politically Incorrect), but you be the judge. This new series was produced by SPRANGLE PRODUCTIONS, they have had their hand in many productions, and are very talented.

Check out the latest creation from Furry Puppet by Zack Bouchman. Dragonmir is an amazingly advanced mechanical rod puppet. His neck, mouth, eyes, and eyebrows can be operated by pushing levers on the main rod, or from a distance by push-pull cables. Check out more photos of Dragonmir as well as other fantastic creations at www.furrypuppet.com!