Name of the book: Making and manipulating marionettes
Author: David Currel
About the book:
This book, as the name says, is a practical manual of making and manipulating marionettes. The author describes a very detailed step-by-step of the process. He begins with a brief introduction of the tradition of marionette theatre and soon goes to the practical part. The principles of marionette design, all the proportions, structures. All the time he gives us described tips about the general making and, at the same time, he always reminds us that puppets can be anything. After the introduction, in which the readers get able to plan the entire marionette, he follows to “Head – Materials and Methods”. Here, he explains several ways of making the head of the puppet with different materials: carving wood, modeling on plasticine, modeling on a polystyrene, paste and paper, wood-form, milliput, Rhenoflex 3000, Varaform, Jesmonite, fiberglass. He also describes how to make castings. After heads, he goes to the eyes – carved/modeled and moving – and moving mouths. Finally, the painting and general finishing. Then, the author goes to the construction part. Here he talks about all the body joints, and its several possibilities and techniques. The book is full of illustrations and pictures, which make the comprehension of the text much easier. He also comments about costumes, selection of fabrics, cutting and sections for costume construction. At this point, all the making is done, so he begins with the manipulation part. Starting with the upright control, the author tells every details about how to build them, what materials, methods. Then, he goes to the proper manipulations methods. First the stringing, then all the basic positions, walking, sitting etc. After this, he dedicates a chapter to animals marionettes, step-by-step about several types of animal. Specializes stringing for additional special effects (eating, raising hands, lifting objects etc) and specifics types of puppets, such as juggling, trapeze artist, unicyclist, weightlifter etc. And finally, specialized designs for specific characters.
How is it useful for a puppeteer?
The book describes in a very rich way the main points of making and manipulating marionettes. The comments about different materials, possibilities (ways of making), techniques and how to extend actions, movements and characteristics of puppets are easily able to put on practice. For beginners, like me, it’s very useful because if you read it you’ll understand clearly how a marionette works. Naturally, the practice of making and manipulating are always different from the theory, but as manual the book is really explicative. And for those who are initiated in the marionette universe, I also believe that is a good book to turn to, because it can help you with punctual technical steps and methods.
The author is specialized in puppets and education, which indicates a didactic way of writing and explaining things. He has an extent research work in the subject and his first book about puppetry was published in 1969.
Author: David Currel
About the book:
This book, as the name says, is a practical manual of making and manipulating marionettes. The author describes a very detailed step-by-step of the process. He begins with a brief introduction of the tradition of marionette theatre and soon goes to the practical part. The principles of marionette design, all the proportions, structures. All the time he gives us described tips about the general making and, at the same time, he always reminds us that puppets can be anything. After the introduction, in which the readers get able to plan the entire marionette, he follows to “Head – Materials and Methods”. Here, he explains several ways of making the head of the puppet with different materials: carving wood, modeling on plasticine, modeling on a polystyrene, paste and paper, wood-form, milliput, Rhenoflex 3000, Varaform, Jesmonite, fiberglass. He also describes how to make castings. After heads, he goes to the eyes – carved/modeled and moving – and moving mouths. Finally, the painting and general finishing. Then, the author goes to the construction part. Here he talks about all the body joints, and its several possibilities and techniques. The book is full of illustrations and pictures, which make the comprehension of the text much easier. He also comments about costumes, selection of fabrics, cutting and sections for costume construction. At this point, all the making is done, so he begins with the manipulation part. Starting with the upright control, the author tells every details about how to build them, what materials, methods. Then, he goes to the proper manipulations methods. First the stringing, then all the basic positions, walking, sitting etc. After this, he dedicates a chapter to animals marionettes, step-by-step about several types of animal. Specializes stringing for additional special effects (eating, raising hands, lifting objects etc) and specifics types of puppets, such as juggling, trapeze artist, unicyclist, weightlifter etc. And finally, specialized designs for specific characters.
How is it useful for a puppeteer?
The book describes in a very rich way the main points of making and manipulating marionettes. The comments about different materials, possibilities (ways of making), techniques and how to extend actions, movements and characteristics of puppets are easily able to put on practice. For beginners, like me, it’s very useful because if you read it you’ll understand clearly how a marionette works. Naturally, the practice of making and manipulating are always different from the theory, but as manual the book is really explicative. And for those who are initiated in the marionette universe, I also believe that is a good book to turn to, because it can help you with punctual technical steps and methods.
The author is specialized in puppets and education, which indicates a didactic way of writing and explaining things. He has an extent research work in the subject and his first book about puppetry was published in 1969.
Hi Natalia, Thanks for this review, however can I suggest the following:
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to spell the name of an author correctly.
One of the attractions of this book is the way David Currell includes the work of well-known marionette-makers- perhaps it would have been a good idea to include these as well as the list of materials.
How about making more sections or paragraphs in your writing to make it 'reader-friendly'
Caroline