How to Easily Make Chinese Shadow Puppets

Shadow puppets can be simple or complex.

Chinese shadow puppetry is one of the oldest forms of entertainment. The Chinese Theatre Works website notes that shadow puppets predate written language and have been traditionally used to tell and pass on important stories. Shadow puppets are simply figures that show up on a blank white sheet when light is projected on them from behind the sheet. Make your own shadow puppets and use them in a play at home.

Things You'll Need

• Black card stock
• Sharpened craft knife
• Cutting mat
• Glue
• Kebab stick
• Craft items (optional)

Instructions

1. Practice drawing your design onto a piece of scratch paper. When making a shadow puppet, you use the silhouette for the body of the figure and cut the details out so that they'll project onto the white screen when exposed to a light source.

2. Cut out the final design you drew on scratch paper and place it against the card stock. Trace it onto the card stock.

3. Place your card stock on your cutting mat and cut it out with your craft knife. Run the craft knife along the edges of the silhouette and discard the scraps. Cut out the details with your knife, such as the eyes, tail or fingers.

4. Turn your puppet to the back. Glue the top 3 inches of your kebab or craft stick to the back of the puppet.

5. Add details. String, streamer, ribbons or other craft items can add texture to the silhouette of your puppet.

References

• Chinese Theatre Works; A Brief Introduction to Shadow Theatre; Kuang-Yu Fong et al