something about rod and hand puppets

Itay Bazak

hello there I have a few questions: 1.if i want to do a foam latex rod puppet,like the one from "how to make a monster puppet", can i follow the tutorial and just switch silicone with foam latex?or may the mold and the resin head core will have bad reaction with the foam latex while baking?would be better to do an ultracal mold? 2.if i want to do a latex hand puppet,like the one from "garage monsters 2", and i want it to have a body with limbs and a tail how do i mold it?

Chris Ellerby

You can run foam in an epoxy mold, or go with gypsum/stone molds.  You just need to make sure what ever materials you use will not have any issues with the baking temperature.  I'd check with the manufacturer if you have any concerns or questions about how a material will handle baking.

I have limited experience with foam and have only used stone (ultracal) molds with it.  Next opportunity I have to work with foam I will likely be going the epoxy/fiberglass route.

/Chris

Gary Wetherilt

1

Sam Murray

Hey guys for the how to make a monster puppet have you been able to use different silicone than gi245 silicone moldmaking rubber (catalyst)? The closet I can find is
Rtv Silicone Mold Making Casting Rubber 1/2 Gallon Kit. 

Chris Ellerby

Hi Sam,

You should be fine using different brands and types of silicone to make your mold. Just make sure you are using a durometer (firmness) of silicone that will work for your mold's needs, and if you are using a platinum or tin cure silicone some properties (like what inhibits the cure) may change.

/Chris

Ghoulie

Hey @Chris Ellerby do you think I'd be able to make a similar puppet as in the rod puppet course using RD 407 mask making latex instead of silicone?

Chris Ellerby

You can use latex as a skin, but it will not stretch very much and you would likely need to back it with something like polyfoam to prevent it from buckling.  If you have enough thickness to the skin to prevent it from wearing or tearing it will likely be too thick to have much movement.  But that also depends on the design of your character and how you expect it to move.  Latex will also degrade over time.

/Chris

Ghoulie

Found a cool one on YouTube. In the comments section the creator says it was made with latex and upholstery foam. I'd like to make something similar 

https://youtu.be/Jxz2g7DwPKA