I have been working on a new head, built on the principles Nick Hilligoss showed in his wonderful videos.  It isn't for animation, but for the head of a staff for a class "Speaking Scepter" -- only the child who holds the scepter can speak.  I used a balsa wood core, with eye sockets drilled out, also ear, eyebrow, mouth, nose and neck holes which were filled with epoxy putty so the balsa wouldn't break.  Afterwards I covered the head, except for the eye sockets, in a thin layer of epoxy…

Even though I don't have any latex, I went ahead and experimented with making a puppet head armature.  It has a core of balsa wood, with twisted 20ga wires for lips, nose, ears and eyebrows (epoxied in), two 16ga wires set into an epoxy putty plug in the neck and covered in a thin layer of epoxy putty.  The thing is quite light, and I am hoping the epoxy plugs and covering will overcome any problems with the balsa being too soft to stand up to the stress from bending the wire while…

This is a test-of-concept and test-of-techniques experiment using mostly recycled materials (cardboard from boxes, a plastic bag for the windows, etc.) to construct the environment.  I still have a LOT to do on it, like paint the mortar lines and brick shadows, make interiors for the apartment on the second floor and café, finish the street and sidewalk, maybe put a  ledge…

Hot pants got you didn't it?  Well, that is my word for "short shorts" (get it?).  I have been casting about for a subject which would be appropriate for a 15 second clip, and finally came up with one I like.  The idea is for an advertisement for my animation studio (I have  thought of stealing Nick's "Humongous Studios" or maybe "Acme Studios"), that is if I ever manage to get it off the ground.

The clip will begin with a man ("Joe") walking back and forth in front of his restaurant,…