To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:20:36 -0500
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood?


Thanks for your input, Carolina.

Yes,  Pine has long fibers. I find it requires a lot of filing and sanding, 
but when done properly, the grain shows beautifully, especially at the tips 
of dowels.

The three main reasons why I'm still using pine (for controllers, some rough 
body parts, and bases) are:

-economical: I already have the leftover pieces, I can get more for cheap.

-ecological: re-using something that would otherwise be burned or trashed.

-Flexible: I try to adapt to whatever material I already have on hand, or 
can get easily. I do not want to be a "slave" to a material I would have to 
import every time I need it. Delays on delivery can put a deadlined project 
in danger, as well. Once is enough for me, thank you!
 (I found out the hard way how Apoxie Sculpt was inappropriate for making a 
very small marionette head and hands, the head cast in molds: too heavy, too 
brittle(fingers), very hard to paint.)


Balsa to me seems like THE wood to avoid for making wooden puppets.
It's so easy to dent, scratch and break.
Then again, it could be used (instead of styrofoam) and covered in paper 
mache, if it didn't cost so much.





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Caro Stewart" <taocila-AT-yahoo.com>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 1:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood?


I regularly carve shoes in pine wood and I hate it. It hurts my hand when I 
have to round the tip of the shoe or differently said, to cut perpendicular 
on the wood grains. Even if I used a very sharp thin blade, still got 
blisters and cuts.
I don't recommend pine wood for very small marionettes. Although, it would 
not disappoint you by splitting in the middle of the action, when carved 
tends to have long sharp splinters; annoying thing! I tried some years ago 
to carve hands and I lost the thickness of fingers just because of rebel 
splinters.
It's not a light wood either... Balsa is a very light wood, lighter than 
cork. I read it's easy to carve, too. But again, you might need some weight 
for a small marionette and balsa might be too light.
Carolina

--- On Sun, 12/21/08, Mathieu René <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca> wrote:

From: Mathieu René <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood?
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Sunday, December 21, 2008, 2:55 PM

Hi all.
I wonder if any on Puptcrit have sculpted regular construction wood for
making puppets?

I'm thinking of using some leftover 2 x 3 pine wood pieces to make the
torso-body of my next self-appointed puppet design.   My main concern is
splitting.
Although I've worked with this cheaply prepared wood before (no humidity
control during drying process), and never had problems, I've never had to
build something so dear to me, and the wood remaining exposed (might be
slightly oil-stained, no varnish). Any advice to help prevent major
splitting? I don't mind a little bit of it, it gives character.

Another concern is the wood grain.
In which direction should it be, to allow for durability?
Specifically, is the 3 " section the right face to draw my disk on?
Those disks will be made drafty on all sides, have either a wooden bead in
the middle, or a bump integrated. The bump or bead will have a thread or
elastic through it. Two extra holes, close to the bump or bead, will also
host elastics.

Thanks for any advice!

This might become one of my dreams: a puppet number fitting entirely in a
small suitcase!

Background:
The puppet shall be small, about a foot high. It will be built very much
like a marionette, but will be a tabletop rod puppet. My goal is to make all
the parts visible, and beautiful. No more hiding with clothing or fur. I
might even include some of the tool marks as part of the intended texture.
The head and hands will probably be paper mache, unless I live a sudden
burst of technical growth, allowing me to sculpt the face directly in wood
as well. This puppet needs very delicate feminine facial features and very
delicate fingers. I already have a head prototype in paper mache, which I
can fall back on.

I want multiple sections in the torso, to provide graceful bending. They
will be modified disks, with or without balls in between, with two elastics
on both sides of the spine.
Since there will be no legs, I am putting all my effort on the torso for the
best movements.

This puppet was intended for my first self-made puppet short film. It's
still scheduled for it, but now, this film has turned into a stage puppet
short number (solo). I had to accept this development, as the more I focused
the movie in my head, the more the decisions made it into a stage tabletop
number.
The rods will be visible, and so will I.




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