elliot Puppet Work
Bunny
Film: Elliot
This bunny was made for a short film about a boy exploring the forest. The puppet was only about 3.5 inches and had a foam build-up body and a foam casted head. He was completely needle felted with vacuuformed eyes that were back-painted black for a glossy look
Responsible for all fabrication
Drawn by the director, responsible for mechanical
After carving his body out of foam, I had to tackle his head. His head required a two-part silicone mold with a small armature inside.
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Here I am, casting a head. After fitting the armature in and making sure it was lined up, I spread out the foam in the mold before pouring a bit in to ensure the foam completely fills the mold
Here I am felting the head of the puppet. I had only felted a few things before this puppet but I had such a fun experience. This was really interesting because I had never tried to blend colors like I did on this puppet.
Here were some early tests of the puppet. Our animator used these to test the motion of the puppets. While working with her, I was able to re-asses the armature and ports to better accommodate her and the animation.
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On the left is a picture of the foam pieces I glued onto the wire using barge. From there I carved the body down with cuticle scissors.
Early motion-tests animated by our lead animator, showcasing the range of motion for the rabbit armature and foam.
Finally, the puppet in the film!
Responsible for bunny fabrication and aid in set dressing