Magnificent MITZY
First I use Procreate on my iPad to quickly build a sketch using a photo of the fabric I'd found in a Charity Shop
Helvetica Light is an easy-to-read font, with tall and narrow letters, that works well on almost every site.
In the Charity shop there was also an enamel jug with flowers glued in as a display piece, also balls of wool. All in the same colour palette as a ladies two piece dress combo.
I decided these would all come together as a new character.
Basting the thin dress fabric onto a layer of cotton curtain lining fabric.
As with all my puppets, a strong, durable base is always the first thing I sew.
And give it a D-Ring to hang up by in the booth.
Once the inside of the puppet is done , I can add the matching fabric to the outside.
..."Does Anyone Still Wear a Hat ?'...
Sondheim
The balls of wool from the Charity Shop were just big enough to make Mitzys pom-pom hair.
'Betwixtmas' 2024 : that curious time between Christmas and New Years.
Time to get out in the shed and make the wooden core of this rod puppet.
Neck, nose and eyes are all this face needs in wood
- the rest will be Paper Mache Pulp.
The plastic tubes are cotton reel centres. They will allow for the insertion of the silk flower stems. Mitzy will have Pom-Pom hair and a flower headdress.
Aluminium cooking foil bulks out the head around the plastic tubes.
A layer of Pulp fixes and consolidates the whole thing into a solid unit.
This is far from the final sculpt. several layers of pulp will be needed.
But this was the last of the ready made pulp I had stored in the fridge.
Time to make another batch.
By late Spring of 2025 I hope to put a link here to photos and video footage showing step by step how I make my homemade Paper Mache Pulp.
Check back here Soon..
A freshly made batch of homemade paper pulp : lovely !
Pulp heads are always built up in layers.
This allows the moist pulp tp dry out evenly and thoroughly.
Having the face painted , means I can readjust my pre-viz picture on iPad.
Lets me see what I am aiming for.
Adding the arm control rod and the pad to taketh cleaning cloth.
This has velcro to allow for easy regular changing and washing of dirty cloths.
It is now that those tube-holes built into the head come into their own.
Gluing in the silk flowers is easy, the stems have a place to go.
And some sparkly dangly earrings give the puppet some nice 'secondary-movement'.
