A new feature in PhotoShop called Puppet Warp will enable manipulation of an object, or parts of an image, by using an overlayed mesh and control pins.
puppetry
Peppa Pig’s Party, live
When I mentioned the cartoon British TV show Peppa Pig a few years ago the pigs were putting on a puppet show for their parents. Now an adaptation, a live theatre show Peppa Pig’s Party, has become a roaring success for pre-schoolers.
The puppets have lovely simple lines and are very cute! Built by Paul Jomain, (known for his Virgin One mascot, Red, and the PG Tips monkey), they are ‘operated by actors who remain on stage with them, perform alongside them, and provide the voices’ in the style of the Avenue Q puppets, an aspect discussed in an interview with the puppetry consultant, Nigel Plaskitt. He also talks about the decision not to use body suit puppets; they exist, but are gross in comparison!
Thank you
My thanks to Naomi at Puppets in Melbourne for her kind post about my blog and work.
Wayang Obama
(photo credit: Kompas/Ferganata Indra Riatmoka)
Indonesian master puppet maker Ki Ledjar Subroto has made colourful wayang puppets of President Obama, his family and dog, which will be given to him by his relatives when he visits Indonesia. Some of the process of making the puppets from hide is shown here.
Kooky’s Return (Kuky se vrací)
Kooky’s Return (Kuky se vrací), a combined puppet and live action feature, has some lovely inventive puppets made by the team that produced the beautiful puzzle-solving game Machinarium.
A seven year old boy whose teddy bear Kooky has been thrown away wonders what his toy is up to in the big world out there, imagining Kooky as he tries to find his way back home. The film was written and directed by Czech Oskar winning director Jan Sverák and production design was created by Jakub Dvorský (Amanita Design). The release will be on May 20, 2010 in Czech cinemas.
There’s also a subtitled version of the trailer and a FaceBook fan page.
Terry the Squirrel
I love this interview with Terry the Squirrel from Sammy J And the Forest Of Dreams from a couple of years ago; it’s a riot. The puppeteer is Heath McIvor. McIvor and Sammy J’s new show, Sammy J and Randy in Ricketts Lane, is playing at the Melbourne Comedy Festival from 25 March to 14 April.
Handspring’s giraffe
The amazing Handspring Puppet Company‘s giraffe at Design Indaba 2010 in Cape Town recently.
Cloudbuilder’s 3D iPhone puppets
Kara Jansson Kovacev (Cloudbuilder) creates intriguing and creepy 3D iPhone puppet images on an iPhone 3gs using the Sculptmaster 3D and Brushes and/or Layers apps. She also makes puppets and toy theatre.
On my first attempts using Sculptmaster 3D I found controlling the results difficult, and my images very blobby. But perhaps the lumpiness is intrinsic to the app, and part of the spookiness of Kovacev’s images comes from the juxtaposition of that lumpiness with the definition added with the other apps.
Sand and other fluid animation
Kseniya Simonova created a sensation in last year’s Ukraine’s Got Talent with her sand animations. I think my mum will like this one.
In terms of creating story through such fluid re-drawing and re-framing, I draw connections to Terra Prenyada (The Pregnant Earth) by the master puppeteer and Spanish artist, Joan Baixas, and to the wonderful work of William Kentridge. MoMA’s present Kentridge exhibition website offers much to explore.
