How to Make a Large Puppet Head
Large puppet heads make an impact in a theatrical production or a carnival parade. Making a big puppet head -- large enough for the puppeteer to wear -- is almost as simple making a hand puppet head. Keep the materials you use as light as you can, to make the head as comfortable as possible to wear. Papier mache is a suitably lightweight technique that originated in doll making. Old newspaper is ideal for making papier mache, because it is resilient and durable.
Things You'll Need
- Packing foam blocks -- about the size of bricks or slightly smaller
- Glue gun and sticks
- Cardboard -- about 3 feet square
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Craft knife
- Styrofoam ball
- Wallpaper paste
- Paintbrushes -- 1 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch
- Paper
- Wool or faux fur
- Paints
- T-shirt
- Staple gun
Instructions
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Stack up some blocks of foam packaging to form a rough shape that's 12 inches square. If your blocks are all the same size, stack them up like bricks. The exact quantity needed will depend on the size of foam blocks you purchase. Place the blocks so that they form a shallow curve from left to right. This will form the back of the puppet's head. Use a glue gun to stick the foam blocks to one another.
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2
Construct two more 12-inch squares from packing foam. These will form the sides of the head. As before, build the blocks up with a slight curve in them. Glue the foam blocks together. Stick the two sides to the back of the puppet's head, so that viewed from above, the three sides make a C-shape.
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3
Cut out an approximate 14-inch-square section of cardboard with a pair of scissors. Draw a face onto the middle of the cardboard, with a pencil. This will help you get the proportions right for a natural-looking face. Use a craft knife to cut a foam block into a wedge shape, and glue the foam wedge onto the cardboard for the nose.
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4
Use your craft knife to cut a Styrofoam ball in half. Glue these in place to form eyes. Cut two thin strips of foam to make lips, using your craft knife. Glue these in place to form a slightly open mouth. Then use your knife to cut through the cardboard between the lips. This will create an aperture to see out of and allow for ventilation.
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5
Place the cardboard face of your puppet head at the open side of the C-shape, and glue it in place to both sides to form the head. Cut away any excess cardboard. Use your craft knife to cut away some of the hard-edged foam corners of the puppet head to make it more rounded. However, it does not have to be perfectly smooth at this stage.
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6
Cut some 1-inch-wide cardboard strips, and place them over the top of the puppet's head, reaching from side to side. Glue these in place, but leave a 2-by-1-inch hole at the top of the head to allow for ventilation.
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7
Form a chin and neck section by gluing some more foam blocks onto the underside of the puppet's head. Work from the outside edge toward the middle, leaving a hole in the middle. The hole should be large enough to allow the puppeteer's head to enter through it, with the bottom of the neck section resting on the wearer's shoulders.
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8
Mix up some wallpaper paste according to the manufacturer's instructions. It can be helpful to make it with a little less water than recommended, so it brushes on more easily. Use a 3-inch-wide paintbrush to cover the entire head with wallpaper paste.
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Cut a few dozen strips of paper to about 1 inch by 4 inches, and dip them into the remaining paste. Apply the strips to the puppet's head to form a papier mache cover, cutting more strips as needed. The entire head must be covered, leaving the ventilation hole free.
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10
Build up papier mache strips to form ears and to round off uneven areas. Apply a final coat of wallpaper paste over the strips. Leave it to set overnight.
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Decorate the puppet's head. Glue wool or faux fur to the top of the head to form hair, so that the ventilation hole is hidden. Paint the face with a skin tone and let it dry, using your medium-size paintbrush. Then paint eyes, lips and eyebrows with your smallest brush.
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12
Place the neck of the puppet head into the collar of a T-shirt. This can be stapled in place to prevent the T-shirt from slipping around when the head is worn.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure that several layers of paper are added all over the puppet's head to give it enough strength.
For areas of the head that need filling in or building up, wad up some paper and then cover it with papier mache strips.
If the neck area looks a bit uneven, wrap a scarf around it.
Ensure that any staples used don't stick out from the foam packaging.
Cover your work surface, since papier mache can cause a mess.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
