Creaturiste's Laboratory

Milo Marionette

2009-12-03T20:46:00.001-08:00

Carved wood body. Three different types of joints: wood, plastic, and nylon rope. Head in hollow paper mache, cast from my own silicone mold of a model I made in plastalina.

Work in progress. Was fully assembled after pic was taken.
Skin will be lightened, hair and eyes repainted black.
Clothing will be an off-white camisole and black pants.

Control is already built and painted, it's ready for the puppet. Movement tests were made with puppet strung in, and I can say this is my best marionette so far.

To be continued. Will be finished before December 31st.

Satyr Helmet Mask

2009-11-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Albert, my Halloween costume for 2009.

I've been meaning to make a detailed mask like this for myself for ages!

Albert is made of Paper Mache Bark, Monster Bone, wire, fun foam padding, acrylic paint & synthetic fur.
He is made to fit my head, there are no straps, I just put it on like a helmet, and it is very stable.

Good success with it on its first outing, at an early Halloween party.
I decided to open the mouth permanently to facilitate speaking in noisy crowds. It was an even better success at the Central Canada Comicon, judging by people's reactions and comments.

The wool coat and leather gloves I used for the costume are so comfortable, that I decided to wear them regularly.

Note: Albert is a one of a kind mask, good for performance, masquerade, or display. He is available for purchase. Inquire by email.

___

Pascal Laflamme Art

2009-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

http://flamme27.blogspot.com/

Pascal Laflamme is a childhood friend who followed his artistic dreams and has results to show for it! Make sure to see the various portfolios, listed on the right navigation column.

Busy November

2009-11-23T22:37:00.001-08:00

Hi all.
November has been a busy time for me, just like it's been since the summer.

Here are some results, among those I can show.
All those are part of an exhibition where they will be for sale, but all of them can be either reproduced (I made molds of the pendants) or variations can be made.

The Miniglobestaff is a magic wand for roleplaying, can also serve as a maracas, sold for 50$ each.

Roolion and Helen are pendants that can also be decorative items, such as ornaments. They can be reproduced and even modified (facial expressions, personality, and colors). For now, I price them at 25$ each. Customizations cost extra.

Fred and Carla are winter ornaments, very strong and each has a prop that is not attached.
Variations are available, prices start at 100$.

Samuel is a BIG winter ornament, constructed over a large christmas tree ball.

The Aliens are a set of four advanced sock puppets, two adult sized and two children sized. Adults with small and medium sized hands can still operate the children size.
This set is sold for 100$. Variations available for 25$ per puppet.

strange creature

2009-11-16T07:13:00.001-08:00

Work in progresss.
Acrylic on panel

Fairy

2009-11-15T03:04:00.000-08:00

Work in progress
Acrylic on Panel

Explorers

2009-11-14T22:56:00.000-08:00

Work in progress, acrylic on canvas.

Helen&Roolion

2009-11-14T22:43:00.001-08:00

Pendants that can be worn or displayed.
Polymer Clay.

Reproductions for sale at 25$ each. Colors can be chosen.
Price subject to change.
Enquire by email.

Mario Of Many Faces

2009-10-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

Finally, here are some pics of Mario, the tabletop puppet with interchangeable wigs/facial hair.

His head, hands and feet are paper mache. The Head and wigs have rare earth magnets embedded in them. The body's PVC tubing, sculpted Polyfoam, a little bit of wood, and nylon webbing. PVC Pipes are used as handles for head and lower back. He was created for a league of theatrical Improvisation with puppets, as the main character. Hence his "Everyman" looks and versatile features.

Alley, glove puppet

2009-10-14T22:04:00.001-07:00

Alley is already showing signs of being a bit of tom-boy.
She is going to be a Birth gift for a little girl.
Work in progress. Paper Mache Bark, Monster Bone, acrylic paint, synthetic yarn.

Better-than-Heinz Ketchup!

2009-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Not about puppet or mask building, but hey, an Artist's gotta eat!
I like to share quick and tasty (and preferably healthy) recipes to make our busy lives more enjoyable.

In my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I realized that the high content of sugar (liquid sugar/glucose-fructose) in Heinz ketchup made it a condiment that should be at the top of my "cut-back or eliminate" list.

So I decided to make my own tomato ketchup. I just looked at the ingredients on Heinz ketchup, to see what were the main "real" ingredients I should start with.
Well, all you really need is: tomato paste, white vinegar, a sweetener, onion powder, salt, and spices.

Here's what I came up with as a first try:

•Tomato paste, one can.
•White vinegar, about half a cup (natural, from grains) (could have used apple cider vinegar. Maybe next time)
•Onion powder, approx one tablespoon
•Sea salt, one tablespoon
•Raw honey, about a cup (clover)

Mix tomato paste and vinegar. Add the rest gradually until a good balance of sweet-tangy-salty is achieved.

Freelancer's Blues & Thrilling News

2009-09-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

I love my work!
It's my passion! More often than not, I get to create the exact kind of work I am craving, not long after the craving first shows its face. Life sends these specific contracts my way, as soon as I desire to explore a certain aspect of my work. And I feel blessed that most customers trust me enough to leave me tremendous freedom in the design.

Still, sometimes, the life of a full-time freelance creature designer/maker/performer isn't so glamorous. You certainly don't get to rest for very long! In fact, I've never even ever taken a true vacation. Every day off I've taken, not counting sick days, which are very rare) was spent in part for research or networking.

I would never stop doing what I love. I chose this lifestyle!
Yet, Life IS change, and if I want to keep enjoying mine, some changes must be made!
As much as I enjoy a schedule that's not too repetitive, there is such a thing as too much chaos, and too much to do. I'm never bored and I'm thrilled constantly with the results and opportunities I get. I just seek more stability. Good news is, I can feel it coming around the corner. (See Unraku, below) Even the most motivated individual gets tired sometimes. The following will show what I mean.

This summer, with multiple small contracts that were constantly overlapping and usually rushes, coupled with a month-long preparation for a month and a half solo gallery show of my work, was a non-stop race, and this speedy pace seems to be continuing into the fall.
My day so far:

This morning
Marotte of a little girl puppet, picked up by the customer.
Had to repaint and change its haircut in 35 minutes. Did it with success!
I just learned I will not have a minute to rest Monday night, after the 8 hour bus ride back from a trip, because a puppet needs to be mostly re-built and be ready for a day and a half later (see Tabletop Puppet of Terror below).

This afternoon
Will assemble my Satyr puppet, which needs to be fully articulated by the end of today, so I can bring to Toronto to show my colleagues this week-end.

Will get two puppets picked up by past customer who lent them for my gallery show this summer.

Tabletop Puppet of Terror
Will get an in-progress puppet back from a current project which should have been finished two months ago (customer paid deposit a month late, and took weeks, several times, to provide vital information). I wish I could drop this project, and I would feel entitled, considering the insulting delays and "bullshitting", but the project's instigator owes me half the payment (upon delivery), and two colleagues I highly respect are still involved in the project and need the puppet. Life sure wants me to learn to be a "though guy" when it comes to choosing my contracts and conditions. ever since I saw an inspiring sign in a bus station in Brasttleboro Vermont: "Your lack of plannification does not constitute my rush". Lesson learned!

Tonight Still working on that Satyr puppet, broadcasting some of the process live on blogTV.
Preparing luggage for Toronto trip.

Great News:
On a very positive note, there are highlights that make this all worthwhile.
The obstacles and complications just seem like small bumps when focusing on the good!
Yet, I know it will all work out and the situation will stabilize!

I'm now the Montreal branch of a Toronto puppet company named Unraku.
We moved in to our first official studio about two weeks ago. I can't wait to see what they did with the place, as it was already very promising when I last saw it.

I'm Looking forward to this week-end, I'll see my Unraku colleagues again, one of which I never met in person, as she hails from Pheonix, Arizona! We are shooting a music video, as a promotional tool for the company. We shall also attend an evening where I will meet Alexander Mergold, an Art Doll and Puppet artist whose work I've admired for years.
The evening will be hosted by Open Door Design, a lovely puppet store in Toronto.

The main project for Unraku these days is one I cannot yet reveal much about, but it's going to be big. I'll keep you posted as the information becomes available for release. Here's what I can say about it now: It's going to be a weekly puppet show, published online. Assembled in Toronto (homebase), but filmed in Toronto, Montreal, and Pheonix.
The creatures will be varied, and the fun will be palpable!

We shall be promoting the show at the Central Canada Comicon in Winnipeg (Alberta, Canada), at the end of the month, as well as other festivals and events until March, when we are going to Megacon, in Orlando(Florida).

October will be busy:
•My Halloween mask (another Satyr) needs to be ready for the Winnipeg trip
•I'm building (not designing) the official puppet for an artist/writer who has a series of music albums and books for children starring a squirrel. I'm looking forward to it.
•I was hired to create a one-of-a-kind little girl glove puppet as a birth gift.

Keeping busy!
To see me in action, I very often broadcast my creaturemaking steps live from Blogtv. I don't have a schedule, but it's usually evenings and nights.
www.blogtv.com/people/creaturiste

And as usual, my portfolio can be seen on this other blog:
www.creaturiste.blogspot.com

ZlorgNboB Shop (my designs)

2009-08-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

I made all the visual designs for ZlorgNboB, including what's featured on the merchandise.
Today, the Coffee Mug design for " Zlorg & boB: The Other Mug" has won a red ribbon award on the Zazzle website (Today's Best category).

Click to see all the designs, on various items.
Also, our customers can modify the products a lot (size, positionning, and sometimes change the product itself), when clicking on Customize.

Dragon Brooch

2009-07-29T15:04:00.001-07:00

Dragon Brooch.
Wearable Art.

This faithful protector, strong embodiment of fire and flight, will soon make his home on the
garments of a friend in Europe. This young dragon-phoenix has fierce protective instincts but a powerfully kind heart.

Measures: 4" x 6" x 3/4"

Materials:
Flexible Paper Mache over wire armature, deep red glass bead eyes, Monster Bone finish, acrylic paint and metallic mica powders (copper and gold).
Equipped with an horizontal metal pin with safety latch.

Photography is difficult with metallic finishes, and with this small a scale, so this photograph does not do it justice. In reality, it is smoother in texture, and the colors are vibrant and almost shimmering. More photos coming soon.

It is ready to be shipped to the customer in Europe, as soon as she approves the painting.
More of the same model (with variations, as each is made from scratch) will be made for selling, eventually. If you need one sooner, just place an order, and I'll make it a priority.

I would be thrilled to make more wearable Art, with different creatures, at different scales, in the same or other visual styles. Let's discuss the endless possibilities!

New polichinelle copy

2009-07-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Liking the new paint job.
Will cry when I see it go.

Co-Hosting online live puppet show

2009-06-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Click here for the Show:

I'm now co-hosting a weekly live internet show with my colleague Daryl, who lives in British Columbia. I'm the purple guy (he was my first "Advanced Sock Puppet"). We'll soon have recorded excerpts for you to see when we are not live online.

It all started as a fun improv thing on Daryl's blog, and people demanded so much, so fast, they we had to make a separate show. So here it is, next show will be this week-end, the specific day and hour still to be decided. We'll soon have a regular time-slot, once we figure out our respective schedules, in relation to time zone differences.

ALSO:
If you want to see me work and have a chat, I sometimes come online on my own channel:
http://www.blogtv.com/People/Creaturiste

Mayonnaise

2009-06-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

What has mayonnaise to do with puppet or mask making, you may wonder?
Well, it's all connected. Since I became good enough in the studio, I became good in the kitchen! The skills are transferable! And a better-fed artist is a healthier artist.

Whether it be as a meal's accompaniment or as a dip for snacks, real mayonnaise is not a luxury, it's a necessity! I wont, buy the pre-made stuff anymore.

So last week I learned how to make real mayonnaise.
By blender at first, but now I prefer using a whisk. Beats any commercial mayo I ever tried! It's great as a base for other things, such as salad dressings, or dips. Makes a wonderful base for a thick, rich cesar salad dressing!

It's much healthier this way, because one can control all the ingredients that go into it.

My favorite variation so far: extra dijon mustard, touch of honey, lots of garlic powder, and lots of black pepper.

Great as a dip for fries or veggies!
Two best sources where I learned from:
I loosely follow the first source's method, but I learned a bit more why it works by watching the second source. I find that sunflower oil has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. I'll move on to a lighter flavored oil, such as grapeseed oil. The problem is that organic oils don't come in many choices yet. Wake up society!

http://myfrenchcuisine.blogspot.com/2005/09/easymayonnaise.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOymdsYMoqQ

Update:
This video is showing an even simpler and faster method, but the chef uses a "stick blender".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0fLT_k3_U

My marionette Links

2009-06-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

I updated and sent this to a colleague today who's also into marionettes,
so I thought I'd share it on the blog as well.
There are a few links that I found today, which I had not seen before.
The articles found on the Modern Mechanics website (various sources, such as Popular Mechanics) are among the new stuff (new to my list, some of which I had posted before)

NOTE: the links aren't clickable yet. Blogger's editing interface still forces us to manually input every link, even though they are properly formatted already.
I'll input them later, in the meantime, just copy and paste the links to your browser's address bar.

Street shows:
Grafton's puppet show. Mouvements rapides et précis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGKH5iSINK0

Dancing skeleton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Al22_EQJ8

Les Sages Fous (Trois-Rivières) (not marionettes, but the visuals are fitting for me)
http://www.sagesfous.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfx333i2Fhs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UamzyqfJCs0

Stage shows:
Joe Cashore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr6WFaPgG5Q

Ronnie Burkett (je ne trouve aucun extrait de spectacles sur internet! Donc voici son site officiel:)
http://www.johnlambert.ca/english/ronnie/ronnie_productions.htm

Basil Twist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irpwazWXggA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFSYfBxue7U

Frank Paris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ0u6sfuO-Y

David Syrotiak's Natioal Marionette Theater (Vermont)
http://www.nmtshow.com/Home.html

Pendel Marionettes (Allemagne)
http://www.pendel-marionetten.de/english/index.htm

Altrego (Allemagne)
http://www.altrego.de/

Ruzicka Brothers (République tchèque)
http://www.marionetisti.cz/other/oth_en.html

Albrecht Roser
(pas beaucoup d'images, mais il offre un livre maintenant, qui a l'air superbe. Le distributeur (Ray daSilva) est fiable et très rapide en livraison, j'ai commandé deux fois chez lui.
http://www.albrecht-roser.de/00033.html

Scott Land
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDY0iHRsU4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJojE-jGeow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPpLoF7zudQ

Philippe Genty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SphHaiW7fzg

Phillip Huber
http://www.hubermarionettes.com/Home.htm

On Film
Séquences de marionnettes du film Being John Malkovich (performances par Philip Huber et équipe, article sur le processus dans le dernier lien).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bleGmiItLKs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axqYLPQIEck
http://www.hubermarionettes.com/bjm/bjmintro.html

Strings
Superbe visuellement, pour les passionnés des fils, un DVD à posséder en archive...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHa1BqcNYQc

Simple & Efficient
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEC4mJ5xLhM

Techniques:
John Roberts: cours de sculpture de marionnette à fils, au Little Angel Theater (GB).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqW0KHl3gQk

MODERN MECHANICS
The secrets of Making Marionettes (2 parts)
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/07/14/mechanical-secrets-of-marionette-shows/
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/06/03/the-secrets-of-making-marionettes/

The Art of Making Lifelike Marionette Bodies
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/06/05/the-art-of-making-lifelike-marionette-bodies/

Boy's hobby Creates Puppet Opera
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/26/boys-hobby-creates-puppet-opera/

Trick Marionettes
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/08/21/trick-marionettes-will-enliven-your-puppet-shows/

Posable Skeleton model
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/01/08/humanlike-skeletons-pose-for-artists/

Amazing skills with most famous puppets
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/06/28/amazing-skill-with-unseen-strings-gives-life-to-most-famous-puppets/

Building Disney's Pinnochio!
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/19/pinocchio-the-puppet/

Marionettes go Hollywood
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/01/17/marionettes-go-hollywood/

OTHERS:
Stephen Mottram: atelier de mouvement (en 6 parties)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5YXtbGMfO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzZw_WrLoE0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk-syTzQOaM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWKqY4bdbkk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkUl-XQJMRI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7Be6Ks6b8

naked marionette
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSbXUYI-0cE

The Puppeteer
A film by Chris Schmidt & Gary Henoch
Très touchant, inspirant aussi.
Un beau souvenir d'un collègue parti trop tôt.
Saura plaire aux performeurs de rues comme de scènes.
Environs 32 minutes.
http://igorfokin.com/video.html

Book:
Superbe, en Allemand et Anglais.
Le travail de Gmelin et Shmelz, en marionnettes à fils (Pendel Marionettes).
Contient un survol des étapes de fabrication, mais pas la méthode complète.
beau livre à avoir en consultation, pour les images et les idées transmises.
Marionetten/Marionettes
Kunst, Bau, Spiel.
Art, construction, Play.
Gmelin-Shmelz
2004 (nouvelle édition, l'ancienne est tout aussi belle, mais offre quelques différences d'oeuvres présentées)
ISBN: 3-87463-367-5
http://www.pendel-marionetten.de/english/verkauf/index.htm

Ancient articles on marionettes
Some in French, some about other types than string marionettes.

1823
Meeting of a puppeteer (in French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=cNRgaGjvRNcC&pg=PA90&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPA90,M1

1842
Revue de Paris (article in French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=9MJbwX2HHPQC&pg=PA5&dq=marionnettes&lr=

1850
Histoire des Marionnettes (long Article in French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=UzAZAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA456&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPA434,M1

1852
French Polichinelle Play
http://books.google.ca/books?id=1SopAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA487&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPA487,M1

1862
Histoire des marionnettes en Europe (Puppet History book in French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=5qlZAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marionnettes&lr=

1852
Mentions of marionette and intricate mechanics in this article.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=8UCgAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA166&dq=marionnettes&lr=

1854
Eclectic Magazine, page 299
http://books.google.ca/books?id=akISAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA317&dq=marionettes&lr=#PPA299,M1

1854
Same article as above, different publisher
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Dr4CAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA397&dq=marionettes&lr=#PPA392,M1

1871
Part of a novel by George Sand, features the description of puppets and
booths
page 161
http://books.google.ca/books?id=wrYaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA161&dq=marionettes&lr=#PPA161,M1

1871
Book of written puppet plays in French
http://books.google.ca/books?id=UOYPAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPP1,M1

1872
All the Year Round,
article: Punch and the Puppets (page 517)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=zUcJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA519&dq=marionettes&lr=#PPA517,M1

1877
Le Theatre des marionnettes (Goerge Sand, in French).
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Yts75QrDCC0C&pg=PA123&dq=marionnettes&lr=

1885
Historical Dictionary of Theater, definition of marionnettes (French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=eU5XAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA500&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPA499,M1

1886
3-page article about an excentric Puppeter in Paris and his destroyed
theater. (French)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=cT0pAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA251&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPA251,M1

1888,
Gentleman's Magazine, page 578.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=AIEBWOYikCwC&pg=PA579&dq=marionettes&lr=#PPA578,M1

Histoire des marionnettes en Europe (full History book in French)
1852
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Y4MOAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=marionnettes&lr=#PPP9,M1

Do-it-Yourself lumber, and bones!

2009-06-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

There are two new instructables on their wonderful site, both related to paper mache.

First is about making your own "lumber" out of cardboard
and glue. I'm really interested in trying this. When I have more time.
I wouldn't attempt this without a table saw or band saw, so now I'm almost
all set (getting a fence for my band saw first, can't cut straight for the
moment).
http://www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Lumber/

Second one is about making paper logs for your wood stove, using only newspaper and water. This could be used, in various sizes, as structural materials for making bones, limbs, or armatures for sculptures. Super fast to make too.

Could be made stronger by adding some glue to the water, but I don't think that's necessary if you intend to cover with paper mache strips, or as long as the final product is well sealed, to prevent moisture penetration and imprisonment.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Intro_1/

Pounding a wet newspaper with rubber mallet on the pavement and then rolling it?

The simplest methods are often those we don't think about.

I'm a bit of a maniac about cleanliness in my artwork, so I'll skip the pavement, and use a clean board.

Bandsaw & I

2009-06-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

The band saw I got a few weeks ago is indeed turning out to be a wondertool!
How could I do my work without it for so many years is already getting hard to comprehend!

The band saw is becoming an essential in my workshop. I got it mostly to cut wood pieces to make better marionettes and simple wooden toys, but now I can confirm what people have been telling me all along: it's super versatile!
It also cuts polyfoam, styrofoam, cardboard, light plastics! And these don't require a new blade either! A friend of mine needed to cut the top off of a peanut butter jar's lid. No problem! Did it in 5 minutes. I tested it before with another jar, to make sure the plastics were not going to shatter. The jar plastic shattered, but not the lid. so i just left the lid screwed tight on the final jar, and carefulyl cut off the top of the lid.
The jar part was cut with scissors.

TODAY
I spent half the afternoon learning how to properly change the blade, and finally succeeded, despite the inadequate instructions in the manual. I was able to solve the problem by studying the exploded diagram of the whole machine! Feels great to get past the difficulties and figure it out! The new blade (Delta industrial) is an eight of an inch wide, making it a lot easier to cut better curves. I'm told there are even better blade types. I'll keep an eye out for them. And wear safety goggles while doing so.

The rest of the day was for designing and outline-cutting the torso and limbs for my next marionette. I've been working on it for a while, but I've been (and still am) so busy planning my solo exhibit, that it's slow going for every piece I'm working on. I also have a few pieces to finish before the show.

Back to the band saw:
The only problem with it is the lack of a fence/guide.
I shall get one next paycheck, even if it means I have to drive my bicycle for an hour to get to the supplier. That's how motivated this tool is making me! I'm starting to understand how some people become so attached to their car. I wouldn't be surprised if before long, the band saw told me its name. Even without a fence, the saw is still amazing.
I have not needed to re-saw wood at perfect angles, so with a little planning before cutting, there was no problem.

Operating this machine becomes a way to focus on the moment, it feels so mind-clearing to think of nothing but the the finger positions, and feel and control the precision of the cut.
It's almost a meditation. The fact that every use puts you in the position of possibly losing fingers or eyes, is a great motivator to self-discipline. If I don't feel focused and fully aware, I don't even turn on the machine.

I'd play some more with it, but I respect my neighbors, and I decided to not operate noisy equipment after 8pm. So tonight, I'll see if I can finish the paper mache steps on a brooch I'm making for a colleage overseas. It's still an exciting feeling to know some of my pieces are going to be appreciated by people so far away! I hope I don't ever get jaded about this!

Inspiring Film: The Puppeteer

2009-06-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

Very special thanks to Doll Artist Marie-Claude Dupont for making me discover this very touching piece of documentary work!

The Puppeteer
A film by Chris Schmidt & Gary Henoch, about the work of Puppeteer Igor Fokin.

It's beautiful, it's touching.
It's also inspiring to make the viewer want to do things now, before it's too late. The artist lives on people's memories, in a memorial sculpture, and in this film.

You see the artist at work on the street, his interaction with the audience and one sculpted puppet in progress. You hear his views on various topics that touch us as performers and makers and people living in countries of abundance.

You see what happened after his sudden death at 36, and how people honored him. You see how much one person doing what he loves can touch many. I highly recommend this very short but very good film. It takes you places. What an homage to someone's work!

Sites concerning Igor Fokin:
http://www.igorfokinfamily.com/

There is a second documentary film about Igor Fokin. This one's profits all
go to the puppeteer's family. Both films are described here:
http://igorfokin.com/video.html

Easy Curtains

2009-06-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

For at least a year, I've had a real theater black curtain (100% cotton, velour finish on one side, very thick) hanging to separate my bedroom from my studio space. It's been great as a backdrop for photographing my creations, when doing webcam meetings, and a great relief as a blocker from the street light when sleeping (I live on a busy avenue).

It also cuts a bit of sound.

As useful as it was, it was slowly driving me nuts, due to the inefficiency of the sliding "mechanism".

There's one thing about focusing on the most important stuff, but small tiny annoyances can build up! My curtains themselves were ok. The "hooks" were simply loops of nylon webbing (backpack straps) I had machine sewn on top of the curtains. For the pole, I had taped two broomsticks together, using a piece of pipe to join them. Friction on the pole, and especially at the link, was too much, forcing me to stand on a bench each night and each morning to open and close by hand.

Today, at the hardware store for puppet making supplies, I realized it was about time I fixed this.

So I did. I bought a long piece of CPVC pipe (it's blue-grey, and denser-stiffer than the yellow PVC). At less than 5$, the price was right!

Back at home, I made some wooden washers to space the pipes from the wall.

To make the washers, I just pierced a deep hole at one end of a fat dowel.

I then sliced it in three spacers.

I then pre-pierced wide holes at both extremities and center of the pole, but only piercing one side, not going through. The holes were big enough for the head of the long wood screws I would be using. Then pierced the smaller holes to fit tightly around the screw thread.

Then I slid the curtains on the pole. Then I placed my spacers between wall and pipe, and screwed everything in place. It would have been much easier with a helper, but I managed by having the screws hold the pole on the other end while I was working my way towards it.

Now, the nylon webbing curtain hooks slide easily on the smooth pole.

It's a dream, by comparison! It's not as nice as a "real" system with pulleys and rope, but it does the job for what I need it for.

Easy Marionnette Articulations

2009-05-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

EUREKA! It took all of last night, but I figured how to design wooden puppet joints on cardboard! No risk to the wood, or our sanity! No calculations! No guesswork! It's easy! It works, I tested it!

I used to spend a lot of time, for every new pair of wooden puppet leg, to figure out angles and positioning of the pin. No need for that long waste of time and materials now!

All excited, even though I had not tested it in 3D, I showed the cardboard mock-up to my best friend this morning and he barely blinked. He's a sculptor who's been raised with traditional tools of all sorts, so for him it's rather obvious. He seems to act like everyone knows that method. Well, I'm glad for them that they know, but since I'm not everyone, and I never saw anything resembling this method, (and you know I collect techniques), I guess the method should be shared!

I'm going to write a tutorial about it soon as I can (and when have a functioning photo camera again). If people are interested in the method, let me know, it would probably boost the article's priority level.

NOTE: I have figured it out on my own, but I don't claim to have invented it. I'm pretty sure some similar methods are out there. I just never saw any. The marionette pros must have this shortcut or something simlar, or better! I didn't read it any of the few marionette books I've had access to.

I just can't wait for tomorrow to make my first pair of marionette legs in this model!
Since I can't use the noisy machines tonight, I'll write a first draft of the article right now:

In short, the method involves drawing silhouettes of the leg, and because it's in cardboard and has a thickness, it can be articulated. I used cardstock of the same type as packaging for cereal or cookie boxes. Worked really well.

It involves drawing a circle with a compass, of the size that would fit with your actual size puppet schematic. The circle becomes the knee, with the center hole (used a compas) indicating precisely the position of the pin on which the two-part knee will rotate. Drawing the leg shape around that circle is easy.

The two leg parts are made separately that way, then linked together on a soft surface with a pin going through their "bull's eye". The leg can now rotate, but needs stoppers up front and in the back of the knee. These stoppers are pieces of cardboard that are glued into place. A triangular piece is positionned on the upper leg piece at an angle, to act as a stopper for the leg bend, and the tip of it, sticking out of the circle, becomes the stopper to prevent the leg to open fully when at full extension. A much smaller triangle is added in the same way to the front of the lower leg, creating the matching stopper for the full extension stopper. In other words, the wedges dictate the angle at which the leg can be when fully opened. To have a leg already bent slightly less than 90 degrees prevents the leg from snapping when a walking movement is started, as it's already on the way.

Extra fun: These two pieces can be shaped like a knee.

Then the pieces can be used as silhouette patterns to draw onto the wood pieces, which are then cut as is. The next step is to carve the grooves, and free the tongue, but the measurements for them are already all there on the cardboard. This is the only part that requires a little logical figuring out, but if I could do it, anybody can. All you need is to have a drawing or picture of the finished joint to figure how to cut the grooves. Care has to be taken, when cutting the upper leg's stopper, to not do so in the middle-front of the knee, as we want that tongue to come out seamless from the top knee. Another precaution is to avoid cutting the lower leg's groove too deep in the front of the leg, because we want to avoid having a large gap. I've seen that gap on many beautiful pro puppets, but I feel it catches the light and distracts the eyes when the puppet is performing. Of course, if you want to feature the joints as important visual features of the marionette, that precaution should be disregarded, and the gaps exagerated, as the contrast would make all the joints pop out nicely, especially with focused stage lights.

I made my first test in dense styrofoam, so as not to waste wood (and not make noise in the evening). Total success. Even though I did it quite impatiently, so excited was I, it is the smoothest-looking and functioning hard articulation I've ever made.
What a relief to have a method that works so easily!

Update: Here's a test I made the next day with scraps of wood.
Only the lower leg is really carved after the block shapes were articulated.
No need to finish this one, as I know how to do this step.
I can move on to my actual marionette as soon as I get a thinner blade and a proper adjustable fence on my band saw.

Wooden mallet

2009-05-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the bad picture quality. My expensive photo camera's USB output has died last week. I'm told it's a common problem with digital cameras. It's the evil Planned Obsolescence problem again. Having it fixed (still under warranty) would have me without a camera for a month, which I can't do because I constantly have to photograph my work before I hand it to customers. Until I get a memory card reader, it's going to have to be webcam shots... sorry.

I made myself a round wooden mallet today.

I needed one for wood sculpting when using chisels and gouges.

The one at the specialty store was too perfect-looking.

And from experience, it's much more fun for me to make my own tools.
I learn plenty about it and the materials as I'm doing it.

It must have taken me 4 times as much time it would have taken me if I had had an electrical lathe. Oh well, it gave me an excuse to use my band saw for the first real project, as all my chisels turned out to be too dull, and I didn't feel like installing the new buffing wheel on my grinder to learn how to sharpen them. I just felt like making a mallet!

Safety warning: I'm told it is common knowledge among woodworking pros that it is dangerous to cut round dowels and logs on a band saw. The following shows me taking a bit of a risk, so you have been warned, take the proper precautions, and make sure you are alert and focused whenever operating machinery. Never operate any kind of powertool when you are tired, unless you really want to hurt yourself badly.

Even though the maple table leg I used was round, the large head of it was square, and the whole object was so massive, heavy and long that I had no problem keeping it steady, without kickback, without use of any real force. I went slowly, and only cut thin strips at a time, to be safer. I'd never attempt this with anything totally round and smaller, of course. I would use a proper specialty jig and clamps.

Bad Commercial practices can cause problems:

It was extra difficult to fine-finish it by hand because I did not think to check for wood grain back at the store. I found out only last minute that the turned table leg was in fact made up of 9 small pieces of wood glued together. It would have been fine if the pieces had been laid in the same grain direction, or in a logical succession, but it turned out the manufacturer didn't care for that. So from one inch to the next in the horizontal direction, my wood grain inverted! It made knife carving and sanding very difficult. Extra difficulty, but extra education! Next time I need to make a big tool like this, I'll make sure I check the grain at the store. I finished the job with a big craft knife, files, a Dremel with sanding disk, three grades of sandpaper, and a liquid beeswax finish, which I stained a bit darker with a dab of oil paint.

I signed the head of it with a woodburner.

I love the fact that it looks hand made, and not perfectly smooth. I'd imagine a chisel like that in Gepetto's workshop. From testing it just now on a piece of pine, the mallet has good weight and balance. Even a dull chisel cuts pretty well, with this mallet. It compares well with the ones I've tried before.

Recycling:

Most of the wood chips (not the dust) produced during the process could have gone as mulch to hide a large patch of dirt on the front lawn of my apartment. Hopefully the neighborhood cats would find it uncomfortable enough to avoid relieving themselves there from now on. The smell gets really awful int the summer. It's right under my window!
Sadly, I did a test earlier tonight, and the mulch looks very bad next to the lawn, due to its light color. I'm sure the landlord would demand that I remove it pronto.
Red cedar would have been fine.

I got the wood chip into mulch tip by watching an online video of a bowl turner, who does that in his yard. I can't remember the source, I watched a lot of them, and it was months ago.

Shop Vac Wood Dust Danger

2009-05-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all.
The previous post was about making a wooden mallet, and some steps of it required the use of power tools, namely a band saw, and a Dremel with sanding disk.

By necessity, I work in my small apartment, and therefore keeping good air quality is very important for my health. I don't even use toxic solvents in the winter.
I got sick on fine dust particules from clay many years ago (I knew nothing of health hasards of Art materials), and that was enough of a lesson for me.

While workiong on the mallet project, I had my shop vac plugged into the band saw's dust expulsion tube. Once activated, it did a pretty good job of keeping dust propagation to a minimum. Well, on the machine at least...

The system failed! For one simple reason: I had not checked my shop vac's filter bag before starting. It had become dislodged inside the tank since my last use. I probably banged it too much when moving furniture around.

So in effect, all the dust that was absorbed by the shop vac just twirled into the container, and was powerfully redistributed into the air. A fine dusting of extremely fine maple wood dust was coating half of my apartment's floors and low surfaces! Not to mention my lungs, no doubt. I took an hour to clean the whole place as much as I could.
I also removed the filter bag, and washed the shop vac's container. Those should always be kept clean and dry, to prevent mold growth.

One exposure to so much fine dust is probably not that big of a deal, but I won't let it happen again. I'll make a point of checking my filter bag everytime I start working with power tools.

I never had that problem before, as I use really good filter bags, designed to filter the finest of nocive particules, including plaster dusts. They cost extra, but since I've been using them, I've had good air quality in here. One dislodged bag is enough of an example to make an impression.

Lesson learned!

Extra:

While all fine particules can be damaging to our lungs (including baby powder!),
some wood dusts are much more toxic than others. I'm told mahogany and particule boards (MDF, HDF) are particularly nasty to the lungs, which is why I refuse to carve or saw those in here.

I'll also make sure I only work with wood that seems clean and sound, without mold or traces of insect attacks.