What are muppet-type puppets?

Everyone has heard of The Muppets. So what are muppet-types? Strictly speaking, they are basically the same thing. The Muppets is a trademarked design, so we can’t actually use the term Muppet (more info here). So on this site, I will use either the term muppet-type puppet, or the term ‘moppet’. What’s the difference between a muppet and a puppet? Find out here.

Already, you don’t need to be told what a muppet-type is - just picture Miss Piggy or Kermit, and you’ve got the basic idea. But here’s an easy explanation:

A muppet-type is a mouth puppet, a design which allows the puppeteer to move the mouth open and closed. It is generally best used when the script calls for a lot of dialogue, and is easily used in both theatres and TV or film; in fact, the design is most suited to use with cameras. The reason for this is that a puppeteer will use either rods or their own hands (generally for close-ups) to move the puppet’s hands, and another puppeteer will operate the mouth from a gap at the bottom of the puppet’s body. This means that the puppeteers can easily be hidden from view - ideal for filming. This type of puppet is therefore also referred to as a ‘rod arm puppet’ - although it shouldn’t be confused with rod puppets themselves - or ‘glove arm puppet’ (or ‘human arm puppets’), especially when used in combination of gloves and the puppeteer’s own arm is used for the arms of the puppet. This type of puppet may also be referred to as ‘wide mouth puppet’, since it’s an easy description that avoids trademark infringement of the ‘muppet’ term.

So a muppet-type is usually a half-bodied puppet, with access to the inside of the head in order to operate the mouth. They are made of foam, which is then covered in materials. The hands are usually operated via rods, and other facial features can also be designed to be manipulated; such as eyes, eyebrows, hair, and so forth. These puppets work the best in small to medium-sized venues, outdoors or in film/TV settings, and are great for a variety of shows, from stand-up comedy to cabaret, from children’s shows to adult genres.

Read about how to make a muppet-type puppet here or here. Find out what materials you should use, read a book review on making them, view a list of patterns. Find out why there are no Sesame St/The Muppets patterns. You may also want to read about mouth puppets.

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4 comments

Chris said...

Great site!
I see you have links. I would be honoured if you would link to both my websites - www.gracieproductions.com.au and www.puppetshop.com.au.
I have been working with puppets to adress the issues of domestic violence and child abuse.
I am in development with a children's television series using puppets and animation for National Indigenous TV.
I have bookmarked you site and willl check in regularly.

10th May 2009 at 22:12

School of Puppetry said...

Hi Chris, Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. I've had a very busy month and am just now catching up on comments at my site. Thanks for sending me your info; I've added your site to my links page, as well as given you a plug on the 'Learn Online' page (under the categories of Puppet Sellers and Puppet Companies). Always happy to help promote local puppeteers :)

19th May 2009 at 14:47

rose said...

Hi how did you decide on the size of the hands of your puppet to use? Anything advice is welcome. Thank you

5th March 2012 at 12:29

Hi Rose,

This is a great question! It's something very rarely discussed online but the basic rule of thumb seems to be:

1. Puppets tend to be caricatures. Personal choice more often than not comes into play when making puppets, and this also comes in the form of how to proportion puppet sizes. For instance, a clown-like character who is clumsy could have larger-than-normal hands for its proportions (ie. in comparison to the rest of its body, the hands seem too big). It could actually be part of the character design - or simply a preference of the puppeteer - to make hands too big or too small. Of course, it also ties in with what the puppet needs to do within the performance. Puppets that need to hold things or move things with their hands, will need to be of a size to suit any object it interacts with.

2. More realistic puppets will be more realistically proportioned. This means we take a look at the human, animal or other character we're making and size the hands according to an average proportion found on said beings. Let's take humans: hold your hand up to your face with your fingers spread out. (This is perhaps easier in front of a mirror) You will notice your thumb and last finger reach each side of your face or thereabouts. The base of your palm should roughly reach your chin; the tip of your middle finger should roughly reach your forehead. Your hand is proportionally sized with your head! So when designing the 'Human Foam Puppet Pattern' for instance, I designed the pattern for the head, and then made the hands to match that size. Of course, you can still go smaller or bigger according to your personal choice still, but in this case it will largely depend on the character you're making, what the puppet needs to do, and how far away from realistic proportions you want to get.

There is one more thing I'd mention and that's the number of fingers. Many puppeteers do that thing they do in 'The Simpsons'... puppets often only have four fingers. This is partly because it's easier to make hands with fewer fingers, and partly because it caricaturises the puppet further. Some people prefer to do it; others don't. However, the choice to use four vs five fingers can also affect the appearance of size. As with cars, puppets appear smaller on stage than they do up close.

I hope that helps, and good luck with your puppet projects!

5th March 2012 at 17:25