How to Make Puppets Walk and Run
Puppet shows, though not to so popular anymore, can be quite interesting and help you understand the culture of a particular country or a specific region. Even if you are touring some other country, you should opt for watching a puppet show to have a better understanding of their art and society.
People who don’t have any idea of puppet shows often wonder how the puppeteers control the movements of the dummies. They make the puppets walk and run like normal human beings, which can be fascinating to watch.
However, the trick is not very difficult and anyone can perform like a professional after enough practice. If you want to make your puppet run or walk, you need to follow a few simple steps and keep experimenting with different techniques until you master one.
Instructions
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1
Find the right puppet
The first thing you need to do is find the right puppet. There are some puppets, which can be controlled with the help of strings. On the other hand, there are some which don’t need to be attached to anything and you can easily control them with the movements of your arms and hands. If you are a beginner, you should start with a hand or glove puppet, as it is relatively easier to control.. -
2
Place your arm inside the puppet
Right beneath the puppet, you will see an opening, where you can slip your arm/hand comfortably. It will go right up to the head of the dummy, so that you can control all the motions with ease. Make sure that the puppet’s face is towards the crowd and you are hidden from sight. None of your body parts should be visible to the audience, so you should cover your arm with cloth matching the dummy's color. -
3
Move your arm to make the puppet walk
In order to make the puppet walk, you need to move your arm from point A to B, alongside bobbing it a little to make it seem realistic. If you don't move your arm up and down, it will seem like you are simply dragged the puppet along the base. -
4
Speed up the motions
Once you have successfully made the puppet walk, you can use the same motions to make it run too. However, you have to be quicker this time around, as you wish to mimic a faster movement. -
5
Keep your arm straight
While performing these actions, you have to ensure that the arm is stretched straight.
