Decorating the Face

Initially I was planning to cover the head in shaved faux fur, but the clippers I had weren't making a particularly smooth job of trimming the fur down to just looking like 'peach fuzz' instead of actual directional fur. The images below show the face with the strips of upholstery foam I added as wrinkles. It also shows the fur 'cap' I've made out of grey Mongolian faux fur - it's very soft.

These pictures show the process of making the tape pattern of the head to be cut out of faux fur. It is much more time consuming on the head than the the rest of the body was, because I wanted to capture all the small details and creases. However, when I transferred the pattern to fabric and sewed it up, it just didn't look right - the fabric didn't sit flush against the plastic and the clippers hadn't shaved the fur fabric completely smooth. It just didn't look right - I wanted a smooth, soft appearance on the face but the fur just looked baggy and lumpy. I feel this may largely be because in the past I've used fur coverings on upholstery foam shapes, which smooth down under the fur and pleasingly fill out the fabric. I'm frustrated that patterning, cutting and sewing bits for this face didn't work out but at least I've found out with a good amount of time left to find an alternative.

In searching for a solution, I turned to the 'Puppet Maker's Workshop' group on Facebook where I've read a lot of interesting articles and seen a lot of great pieces of work. I got a fantastic answer from puppet maker Mathieu René of Créaturiste, as follows;
"First I'd patch the seam until invisible. Then I'd paint it in a stippling method, several coats to create a very soft surface that will look velvety. Flocking would not last very long, considering how people would love to touch that creature a LOT. Paint would determine the final look. Make sure the paint scheme is simple enough that it will not be difficult to touch up. Make sure the primer and paint bond is very strong, and that you use a very strong varnish on top, that will be easy to clean. Preferably something that resists alcohol. I use rubbing alcohol to clean my puppets before touch-ups. Fuzzier material like synthetic fur would be added near the joint with the neck to create a more subtle transition. Your creature looks like a Dodo. Here's one I built, and often perform at book fairs. He's got the type of finish I'm talking about:"

This fantastic little Dodo puppet is taken to book fairs to perform with, and the stippled face looks fantastic. It has a lot of character to go along with its extreme stylisation, and the texture on the beak is the kind of organic mottling I'd like to try on my Dodo. In order to get to this point, I spent the day removing my foam wrinkles, sanding the face, filling the seam and smoothing with acetone, more sanding - and finally, adding some wrinkles from Milliput two part epoxy putty. I haven't used this material before but it's very pleasing; it is very stiff initially, softening up when evenly mixed and kneaded, and is very pleasant to smooth with water. It takes three hours to set, so I left it overnight and sanded it lightly the morning after.

The next step is priming the face. I cleaned it with methylated spirit to remove any dust and residue, then added two coats of grey plastic primer. Here is the (currently slightly phallic) lower jaw after the first coat of primer. The stippling of the acrylic paint should help to minimise the appearance of any small flaw.

Tape Pattern Photos

Patterning the Dodo is a relatively fast and satisfying process. The bird is wrapped with cling film to stop the tape from sticking to the structure, and is then layered with two to three levels of packing tape or sellotape. The photo below is of the puppet patterned and some markings added, with the legs on to test their placement without the friction of the upholstery foam against them.

To make sure the markings on the puppet are symmetrical and to save on materials, only half of the pattern is fully finished. It also means some pieces can be cut on the fold of the fabric. Each seam marked on the tape pattern has notches marked on it so it's easy to see where they line up and compare to other pieces. Each piece is also lettered for each side, so it's simple to piece the pattern back together.

Here is the puppet with the saddle cloth part of the pattern cut off, so the difference between the saddle part and the body fluff is more visible. I am looking forwards to seeing the different colours and textures of fabric on the puppet, adding a lot of visual interest to the organic shapes.

Saddle, Legs & Patterning

The two images below show the crotch cut out of the suede flares, and then the trousers on the fake legs sat on the bird. Trying to get them to sit correctly is one of the most challenging parts of this project so far! When I took the pattern for the legs, I sat on a flat chair - so the legs don't naturally fit perfectly with the precise curve of the Dodo's body. However, it is possible to get the whole costume on with the legs at this point, and it is still comfortable.

In the video from my previous post, the neck looks to long and spindly, and I think this is partly because it was the same length the whole way along. To help this, I drafted a simple curved pattern to make a gradient tube for the neck which would blend it more pleasingly into the body. However, the neck still looks a little long so I plan to take a couple of inches off the neck tube so the head sits slightly lower.

I made the pattern for the saddle by measuring the width and height of the saddle back frame, and then drawing out a smooth, curved shape that would cover it. I cut the pattern twice and glued the top seams together, which creates the roll-top look you can see below instead of looking like two bits of 1/2" foam that have been sandwiched together. I also added a 'roll' to the back of the saddle that mimics the padding that would be in a horse saddle. However, a horse's saddle in the 'English' riding style usually has a split down the middle to accommodate for the spine. I tried this with my saddle but it didn't look right; the bird's body is too round to look like the spine needs accommodating for.

As you can see, the Western saddle at the bottom sits much more flush with the horses' back than the English saddle above it. I think this look is more fitting for my project so will take more elements of the design of Western saddles over English ones, especially for parts like the stirrups. Whilst I won't be roping any calves(!) so have no need for the rope holding part of the Western saddle, it has a more textured, relaxed look that suits the happy theme of my bird.

I decided to keep the front of the saddle simple without any hard structure to keep the costume easy to put on; the body hole is quite a tight fit so having a rigid saddle front would result in a lot of difficult shuffling and fidgeting to get it on, and with the legs and harness being a fidget in themselves anything extra would mean the costume would take longer to put on. Upon testing the look of the saddle with the legs, they definitely look better when sat inside the structure, and it helps to hide any odd looks that the legs have at the front and back from where they are parted so wide to sit on the round body of the Dodo, and how they have to also sit around the user's own posterior and legs.

I also began patterning the body. Like earlier processes making patterns for the back of the head, it is a simple two-stage process of laying cling film over the bird to stop the tape from sticking to it, and then taping a layer or two of packing tape, duct tape or sellotape over the top. I am looking forwards to planning out the markings of the bird on the tape, and seeing where the saddle cloth and saddle bags will sit. At this point I may end up making the stirrups a piece of fabric that attaches to the fake legs and not to the saddle itself, so they will still be removable. The fake feet of the legs need to be attached to the stirrups in some way, so they do not fall out and swing around too much.

Movement Testing & Processes Leading to the Test

This project has been made out of so many parts that it feels most logical to explain each step as I took them, problem solving and all. The picture below is of the partly-assembled ball I made from 1/2" upholstery foam, which will be covered with fur to make the Dodo's tail. It is springy and light, much lighter than a solid ball.

This is a photograph from the long night I spent getting the frame together and secure. Positioning the pieces equally and symmetrically and then drilling through the curved frame before putting a bolt through was a fiddly process but paid off in making a strong and lightweight structure.

 At this point the body was holding up the head quite well but had a movement in it that felt a little unstable. I decided to use 20mmx2mm aluminium bar to brace the saddle back part I had made with some 20mm PVC tube and right angle elbow pieces against the bottom of the neck circle. The saddle I had made before was just far too big to fit in the gap in the body that had been made for the join between the saddle and the frame, and the pipes used in it felt they had been bended to capacity without popping open the pop rivets holding the tight curves together. The solution for this was to simplify the 'hard' parts of the saddle into just this basic, angular back brace. Because the shape was now perfectly symmetrical it also made it a lot easier to attach to the frame and brace efficiently. Now the majority of the saddle shaping will come from making a foam shape, not limited by the shape of the tubes underneath it.

Now that the frame is finished, the shell is test-fitted over the top. The fit seems quite good and self-stabilising, which is promising; any extreme misbalance in the costume would make it difficult to wear. The neck hoop is slightly bigger than I was planning to make it due to the limitations of the pipe bending without the pipe collapsing on itself, so to make up for this I will have to add some extra panels of foam around the neck seams so that they close without being under too much strain and potentially eventually ripping.

At this point the puppet feels fairly well-balanced and is comfortable to wear. I was worried about the weight of the costume but once it is on, the weight is less than that of a fully-packed backpack and is spread without any worrying pressure points. The straps from the camera holder are proving easy to adjust and comfortably padded and were a lucky find - they seem perfect for the purpose. In the image below you can see how I have attached the shell to the PVC frame; plastazote circles with slots cut in them on either side of the foam ensure that the cable ties don't rip the upholstery foam when tension is applied. You can also see that I'm testing the legs on the body; they don't quite sit right and give the illusion of weight currently but this is something I can continue working on between sewing the skin for the bird.

I first made the wings just out of 1" upholstery foam, traced from a paper pattern I drafted and then shaped with scissors. However, they were too floppy for what I was hoping for. to resolve this, I used plastazote in a similar way that I'd done for the 'pucks' which hold the shell onto the body frame. Strips of plastazote were cut in a way similar to the birds bone structure would be, and then cable tied onto both the wings and the body. This gives them a very satisfying wiggle and makes them look light and well attached.

This is a simple tape pattern I drafted to make the back of the head a rounder shape. I first cut the pattern out of 1" foam but it felt too thick and difficult to manipulate, so another was cut out of 1/2" foam. I plan to hot glue it to the back of the head to cover up the machine bolts holding the head cap on, and the lump in the head gap which keeps the head steady on the neck pole.

This short video showing the movement of the puppet has made this whole long process worthwhile - Beef the Dodo already has a lot of personality and I'm really excited to see how he'll look once he's been covered in soft furs and decorated with his saddle, bridle and reins.

Chosen Furs

Reflecting on my concept art and research into the shape, size and colour of the dodo, I found the overriding tones that kept coming up in the scientific images and paintings to be warm shades of grey, with some yellow-orange hints. I wanted to reflect this using more than one colour and texture of fur, as to add visual interest and variation to the puppet. I decided on using fur because it doesn't always have to be the 'traditional', straight texture. Some of the furs I ordered were extremely sparse - so much so that you could easily see whatever was underneath the fabric. I didn't want to have to add another layer of fabric underneath the foam to disguise it as it would add extra weight, so decided to continue the search. I found the following three fabrics - all of which have a fluffy, clumped texture often referred to as 'Mongolian' fur. This represents the 'down'-like texture of the feathers the Dodos apparently had; it seems they didn't really have many, if any well-defined feathers. This makes them look appealingly soft.
The first fabric I chose is to go on the head, neck and feathers, and is very soft and fluffy. I look forwards to it being stroked; it's really appealing and has a nice movement to it. It's a very soft grey and reminds me of the tiny feathers ducklings have when they first hatch.
The second fabric is a longer, more stranded and curly fur. It is an off-white, cream colour and will sit nicely down the front of the neck, offering a contrast in colour. It has a great 'shake' to it. The third fabric is a darker, mottled curl that sits closer to the weave and gives the appearance of larger strands of feathers. It isn't as soft to the touch, but has a pleasant slight shine and will sit well on the back of the bird.
I also plan to use a more 'typical' fur for the tail of the Dodo, rolled up into sections and attached to the orb base of the tail. This should provide a good contrast in texture and also move nicely. If the Dodo looks like it would benefit from them, I may also add some individually made 'accent' feathers around the chest and neck.

Nodding My Way

Since I had to use a dremel to get the vacuum formed head off of the plaster copies, essentially cutting off the excess back part of the skull of the bird, I realised that I needed to find something to extend the back of the head again in order to have a cap for the end of the neck pipe to sit in, I sculpted a quick form using basic studio clay, in a similar way that I had done for the rest of the head except ensuring it didn't have any undercuts so would come off in one piece this time, and then vacuum formed it with the same 3mm plastic as the head. I then cut the piece into shape, sanded the edges and used the drill and some M4 machine bolts and washers to secure it to the head.

I then drilled two holes in the head with a 9mm drill bit that would allow the rope to fit through it, and two further holes in the PVC neck pipe. This allows the head to move around freely whilst keeping it securely attached to the neck, and is removable and replaceable if needed in time. As you can see below I also used the pipe bender to start forming the rigid aluminium tube 'reins', which will control the movement of the head and hopefully house the controls for the moving lower jaw - however they are very narrow and I'm worried about making holes in them - the head is quite heavy and they might buckle under the weight if used too rigorously when puppeteering the head. I plan to make right angles in the end of the aluminium tube and drill appropriate holes in the face so the tube can be slotted inside and secured whilst still being able to pivot when the head is moved.

I have also taken this short video showing how the head will be positioned on the wearer. The counter balance is really quite considerable at this point even though the head doesn't feel that heavy when held - it's the distance between the base and the head that makes it feel so heavy when carried in this position without being attached to the frame.I look forwards to seeing how it feels in the harness - I'm just hoping that the frame is strong enough to cope with the weight without the pipe buckling.

Body Busting

The arrival of my tailor's mannequin showed two things - that the camera carrying harness would work perfectly for suspending the harness as it is designed to hold two heavy cameras, and that unfortunately the body frame in its current shape would not fit inside the body shell.

At this point the carabiners on the camera harness are temporarily attached to the body frame using cable ties, but these will replaced by something more permanent when the positioning and weight balance of the body with the head has been better figured out.

You can see in the picture below just how much the body frame doesn't fit inside the shell. The two side poles are meant to fit inside and provide an anchor to attach the neck loops to, but they are far too wide. However, if made narrower, the frame wouldn't fit over the wearer's hips. The saddle at this point is very large - but the way I decided to put it together with pop rivets has proven on other test pieces to not cope that well under the pressure of being heated up and bent further. Therefore, the next logical solution is to remove the saddle, fit the frame inside of the body shell and then reconsider the size and shape of the saddle part of the frame - especially as it's intended to act as a back brace to balance out the weight of the neck and head

I removed the cable ties holding the saddle onto the frame and chose to replace it with a straight PVC bar for now, with the ends flattened using the clamp and heat gun, then drilled through and secured with M6 roofing bolts and washers. The frame is now narrower whilst still fitting over the wearer's hips, and the bar sits closely behind the wearer in an appropriate position for holding the back brace of the saddle before foam is added over the top.

The next step in this part of the project is to add in the back brace, cut the front bars shorter and add in the loop which forms the neck base, then attach the neck itself which supports the head. At this point I'm very hopeful that the back brace will prove enough support to take some of the weight of the other parts of the bird, as it's not as light as expected - foam is surprisingly heavy.