How to make a puppet

Writing a ‘how to make a puppet’ article is simply impossible. Every time I see "step by step guide to making puppets" appear in my web stats I roll my eyes and think "what kind of puppet?" There’s no right or wrong way to make a puppet, there are a huge number of different methods and techniques, and this doesn’t include the numerous styles, characters, or materials that one can use. Asking ‘how to make a puppet’ is kind of like asking ‘how to paint’ or ‘how to play music’; expecting a one-size-fits-all answer is quite naive. Making puppets can be easy, but it seems daunting at first. Maybe you first need to step back and read the Beginner’s Guide to Puppetry before diving in. 

There are 63 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 different ways [link to be added] you can make a puppet (conservative estimate). So if you’re looking for one single ‘how to’ on making a puppet, well, you’re not going to find it anywhere. That doesn’t mean there aren’t tutorials or patterns on making one specific type of puppet, just that there isn’t a be-all-and-end-all guide. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t give you a set of instructions to help you find what you need.

1. Figure out what puppet type you want to use. Picking one will help narrow down what tutorials/patterns you should be looking for. The link above presents a list of puppets that you can learn about and explore, as well as links to their respective tutorials on making them. (Hint: as an example, don’t look for ‘girl’ puppet. Look for ‘marionette’ puppet, or whatever. Character design and aesthetics are secondary to mechanics and method of operation) You may also want to check out the glossary of puppetry terms.

2. Figure out why you want to make a puppet. This will influence what you make, what it does, and how it works (see step three). If you’re a beginner, or a teacher with young students, start with the basics. Make simpler puppets first, then more complicated ones. Even as an adult, the complicated puppets can be extremely frustrating to start with. Don’t try a muppet-type puppet thinking you’re going to get it right the first time. Here’s a list of puppet types in order of difficulty.

3. Read the longer article on the basics of puppet design. Yes, it’s worth reading. It goes through everything you need to know about designing a puppet: from figuring out what the puppet needs to do, to choosing your materials; from budgets to sketches; repairs and ergonomics. You may also find the article on making human puppets useful, as well as the free eBook You can make puppet costumes.

4. Find a tutorial, book or pattern that matches the puppet type that you need. Once you’ve learned the basics of how to make that kind of puppet, you can experiment and begin to change the aesthetics - the materials, colours, and so on - to match the character that you want. You can find more tutorials and patterns on this site.

5. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Check the archives of the site for a quick glance at all the stuff I’ve added to the site over the years. Or, you know, use the search function!

6. Gather up any materials or tools required, and make a clear space to work in. Be aware of any safety guidelines you should follow (ie. use glues in a well-ventilated area). Here’s a quick post on what kind of materials you need.

7. Remember that ‘professional’ results don’t happen instantly. You’re a beginner; it won’t look like it came out of the Henson Workshop on your first go. You can read more about why this occurs here.

8. Follow the instructions in the tutorial or pattern. Play, test, and remake as necessary - practice makes perfect!

9. Step back and enjoy your puppet.

Ok, yeah it’s more complicated than that. Way more complicated. But that’s why there can’t ever be a one-size-fits-all answer. Tutorials and patterns (and books or videos) are the best way to find a step-by-step guide to making a puppet. But obviously, those steps will be entirely different depending on whether you want to make a marionette or a glove puppet, and so on. Each puppet type has its different mechanisms, and this is why you can’t sum up 63 X 10³⁰ [link to be added] different methods into one single article. Doing your own legwork, and reading the information provided, you’ll find numerous examples of how to make any number of puppets.