How To:

Marionettes

Materials:

• Head- flat wooden pieces, papier mache, armature wire, Sculpt It, acrylic paints
  
• Hands/ feet- Modelart, Model Magic, microcrystalline wax, balsa wood
  
• Body- balsa wood, (sticks and flat pieces), vinyl strips
  
• Controls- 3 wooden pieces, fishing line, 6 screw eyes
  
• Variety of threads and textiles for clothing and hair
  
• Craft glue, Super tac, hot glue gun
  

Process:

• Students designed their marionette using the theme of 'Fantasy' and worked in four separate stages- the head, body, clothing & accessories and controls.
• Heads were made using a newspaper ball tied to a cardboard cylinder and covered with layers of papier mache.
• Facial features were added the following week using SSculpt It over armature wire shapes or crumpled paper.
  
• The body was constructed in balsa wood. Jointed arms and legs were attached with strips of vinyl stapled to the balsa wood.
• Clothing was either machine or hand sewn by the students. Accessories were made or purchased (doll wigs, glasses or shoes).
  
• The control pieces were pre-cut for the students but glued and nailed by them.
• To start the stringing a screw eye was put into the head, fishing line tied to this and then to the one in the middle of the controls.
• Controls were hung up to complete the stringing.
  

This process from design to presentation could take a term.

Uglies

Materials:

• Body- armature wire, strips of wadding
  
• Head/ hands/ feet- microcrystalline wax, softened in hot water
  
• Clothing- strips of material
  
• Variety of materials as accessories
  
• Craft glue
  

Process:

• A skeleton was constructed using armature wire.
• Hooks were fashioned at extremities as anchors for the head, hands and feet.
• Wadding, cut into thin strips, was wound around the entire frame and secured with craft glue.
  
• The head, hands and feet were modelled using Microcrystalline wax and pushed onto the hooks.
• Material cut into thin strips was wound over the frame to dress the 'Ugly'.
• Accessories were made and secured to the character.

Copyright 2004 Zart Art & Zart Education Service