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How Can I Make My Puppet Look More Lifelike? Part 4

For several posts, I’ve talked about how to make your puppet look more lifelike. I’d like to suggest one more thing in this post.

One problem puppeteers have is they can’t see what their puppet looks like while performing. You have to rely on others to tell how your puppet looks. The problem is that people aren’t always honest and often tell you what they think you want to hear instead of the truth.

One answer is to video tape a performance or practice session and play it back for the team during practice. That way, each one can see exactly what their puppet looks like while performing. They can note strengths and weaknesses in their performance and know what to work on.

Another route that I take is to practice in front of a wall mirror. It works best with a mirror mounted on the wall so both hands are free to work the puppet and move the arms. I usually do this at home by myself, but if you have a large enough mirror two or more can practice at the same time.

I usually run through the entire play and focus my attention on how the puppet looks in the mirror. I check the entrance and exit, lip sync, dropping the lower jaw, and the puppet’s posture.

I also go through some arm rod movements and see how natural they look. Many times I’ll like the way it looks and add it to the routine. Other times, the motion I thought would be great is not good at all and I’ll drop it.

By practicing in front of a mirror, I see exactly how my puppet looks which helps give me more confidence when performing. Combine that with having someone critique you during practice and you should see an improvement in your puppet skills.

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