AKA How to make a bunraku (in a Western-style) puppet

This is my version of a tutorial for a bunraku puppet. You can read more here about what a traditional bunraku puppet is, as well as here about how to make a traditional one. This tutorial however is about making a Westernised bunraku puppet, often also synonymous with table-top puppets. As with all how to’s, we must first consider the basics of puppet design.

This pattern and instructions will give you a simple, print-and-fold puppet (a robot or a very blockish human), which will have ‘rods’ in the back of the head, body, feet and at the elbows for easy operation. Actually, there are two different sets of instructions here: one is for a kid-friendly recycled puppet, and one that is more for adults. Frankly, I think the adult one is much more interesting, represents table-top puppetry better, would teach manipulation of bunraku/table-top puppetry better, and is just as good for kids as it is for adults. That, and I prefer doing puppetry for adults than for kids anyway… 

For your benefit, the first video (way down the bottom of the post) shows me building the puppet for comparison with the following instructions, and the second shows how to perform with it. This puppet - depending on how quickly you learn the folding instructions - should take you about 60 minutes to make, less if you’re a fast folder 

You have been warned: the instructions are long, but only because I wanted to be as clear as possible about the steps. 

Materials and tools

• Download the pattern and print it out. It is sized exactly as I use it: if you want to resize it (and you may, because it’s quite small in comparison with the number of people required to operate it properly), resize all of the parts equally so everything still fits together
• Small piece of tracing paper, 3.5cm X 2.5cm (1.4 inches X 1 inch)
• Two small beads; they will be needed to weight the feet down, so you want them about 10mm (0.1 inch) in diameter. Anything bigger and it might break the paper
• PVA or Elmer’s glue. You may also wish to keep some sticky tape handy.
• Scissors and/or scalpel (box cutter)
• Cutting board or mat

Basics of folding

This pattern requires some simple understanding of origami (paper-folding), as the pattern is as simple as cutting it out, folding along the dotted lines and gluing it all together. (Don’t skip ahead: every step of folding and cutting and gluing is explained, otherwise the pattern is a bit confusing!) If you’re not aware of some origami basics, I’ve included the necessary terms here for an easy guide.

Mountain fold               A mountain fold is a crease that is concave downwards. Here’s a diagram to help you understand how it works. It is marked in green dotted lines on the pattern.

Valley fold                   A valley fold is a crease that is concave upwards. Here’s a diagram of the fold. It is marked in blue dotted lines on the pattern.

If you find that confusing: a valley fold is when you fold the edges of the paper towards each other like closing a book after you’ve finished reading it. Then a mountain fold is simply folding in the opposite direction to a valley fold.

Additionally, red lines mark where you need to cut. In some places you will have to make both a fold and a cut, and I will give clearer instructions where that is needed to be done. One more thing: you’ll find one part of the pattern has a purple dotted line; this is at the elbow of the puppet. When I made my puppet, I found that a fold at the elbow wasn’t really necessary, and left that out. If you would like to put in a fold at the elbow, marked with the purple dotted line, make the fold a valley fold.

If this folding stuff confuses you, follow the steps below in conjunction with the video at the bottom of the post: I have filmed myself building the puppet so you can see how it all comes together in real time. In fact, I recommend you watch the video first, and then come back and use the instructions to build your own. Trust me, it will all make so much more sense watching the video first!

Additionally, a few things need to be mentioned: I forgot some stuff in the video. Nothing major, and I’ll mark it clearly in the instructions below as well as saying it here. One, I forgot to add weights in the video. Two, I screwed up the pattern for the rods slightly - it still works, and the video is correct, but the pattern itself requires one more step than is shown in the video. Thirdly, some things are done in the video out of order in the instructions below; again, not major, so long as you follow these basic premises: cut out patterns; make the cuts along the dotted red lines; make folds on either the green or blue dotted lines; attach rods, neck, arms, legs, and then glue everything together. It’s as simple as PRINT, CUT, FOLD, GLUE. Lastly, photos of the puppet didn’t come out well, so the images below are of my second, green paper puppet (seen in the performance video). At the end, I’ve included pics of the finished plain paper puppet.

Step One: Make the legs

On the first page of the pattern, you will find two copies of the legs. Cut them out along the black hard lines. Take one leg pattern and your scalpel. Cut along the dotted red line; make sure not to cut along the dotted blue lines immediately either side the red one. This is important for later.

Next, make the necessary folds as marked on the pattern: a mountain fold at the top (the bit that looks like a fat arrow), a mountain fold at the next section down, a valley fold (valley fold all the way across the width of the pattern including both the blue dotted lines and the red), and so on and so forth until you have made folds at all of the marked lines. 

For easy explanation: the fat arrow will be attached to the body of the puppet later; the section below that is the thigh; the section below that is the shin; all of the square sections fold up into a 3D box which is the foot; and the long section with the rounded end is our ‘rod’.

You will notice two square sections sticking out at each side of the pattern; they also have small ‘tabs’. As you have pre-folded everything, you will see that the square sections have turned into an open box; now you need to glue the box together. So start with the left most square; glue the top tab to the back of the foot… on the pattern the tab is marked ‘a’ and the back of the foot where you need to glue it is marked ‘b’. Do the same for the right most square, marked ‘c’ and ‘d’. Now glue tab ‘e’ to ‘f’, and tab ‘g’ to ‘h’. You should now have an open-top box: before adding the ‘lid’ or top of the foot, (not seen in video) take one of your small beads and drop into into the foot. You will be closing up the foot with the bead inside, which will give the puppet ‘weight’ and make it easier to perform with. Now push the long rounded-end section through the cut you made before. Close up the foot by gluing tab ‘i’ to ‘j’, and tab ‘k’ to ‘l’. Once you get the hang of this, the rest of the folding and gluing will make much more sense and be easier to navigate.

Notice that the ‘rod’ sticks out at the back of the foot, and will make a simple and easy grip to move the foot from behind the puppet.

Now make the other leg, using the same instructions. 

Step Two: Make the arms

Making the arms is somewhat similar to making the legs, with a few additional sections and a few variations on types of folds. For easy explanation: the fat arrow will be attached to the body of the puppet later; the section below that is the shoulder; the section below that is the bicep; the section below that the lower arm; all of the square sections fold up into a 3D box which is the hand; the section below that is another lower arm piece (it will make sense once you fold it all up); and the long section with the rounded end is our ‘rod’.

Cut out the arms along the black hard lines. Take one arm pattern and your scalpel. Cut along the dotted red line; make sure not to cut along the dotted purple lines immediately either side the red one. This is important for later. (Note, this is also where you may, if you prefer, add in a valley fold if you would like an elbow for the puppet. You don’t have to decide now, this is simply a good place to tell you where to add in the elbow if you would like it)

Next, make the necessary folds as marked on the pattern: a mountain fold at the top (the bit that looks like a fat arrow), a mountain fold at the next section down, no fold unless you want one, a mountain fold, and so on and so forth until you have made folds at all of the marked lines.

You will notice two square sections sticking out at each side of the pattern; they also have small ‘tabs’. As you have pre-folded everything, you will see that the square sections have turned into an open box; now you need to glue the box together. Doing the same as the legs, fold the square sections into a box, gluing it together as you go. Before adding the ‘lid’ or top of the hand, push the long rounded-end section through the cut you made before. Note that the two lower arm sections fold up nicely next to each other; glue them together. Close up the hand by gluing the final tabs together at the top of the hand.

Notice that the ‘rod’ sticks out at the back of the elbow, and will make a simple and easy grip to move the arm from behind the puppet.

Now make the other arm, using the same instructions.

Step Three: Make the neck

Cut out the neck along the black hard lines. Using your scissors, cut along the red dotted lines. Next, make valley folds and mountain folds as marked on the pattern. Put the neck aside for the time being.

Step Four: Make the rods

For the back of the body and head, we’re going to have tubes as rods. Cut out the rods along the black hard lines. Make a mountain fold where marked on the patterns. Using your scissors, cut along the red dotted lines, making fringes at the end of each rod. Using your scalpel, cut the last two remaining red dotted lines, which will be slots for our tabs. Roll each rod up into a tube, and using the fat arrows as tabs, push the tabs into the slots. This is to hold the rods in tubular shape, but you may wish to find some sticky tape and tape the sides together just in case it comes apart. (Don’t tape together the fringed bits)

Where I stuffed up on the pattern/video: the rod will be too fat too attach to the puppet, so simply fold the tubes in half (that is, take the side where the tabs are in the slots, and valley fold to your right. Don’t make the tube shorter, simply narrower). Glue the two sides together or use a piece of tape to hold in place. 

Put those aside for the moment.

Step Five: Make the head

Cut out the head along the black hard lines. Using your scalpel, cut along the red dotted lines. Be careful when cutting the ‘X’, as you might rip the paper and cause the X to become larger than needed. Where the red box is cut out, glue your tracing paper over the top - this will be the puppet’s eyes - making sure to cover the hole completely with the tracing paper.

Grab one of the ‘rod’ tubes, and push the fringed end into the ‘X’ (ie. with the non-fringed end sticking out at the back of the paper/cardboard). Fold the fringes down onto the paper/cardboard and glue in place.

Next, get your neck piece, and push it through the straight red dotted line marked in the middle of the pattern. You should have the mountain/valley fold section pushed up through the cut, with the rest of the neck hanging down below the head piece (see photo to right and/or video). Fold the mountain fold down onto the head, and fold the valley fold down onto the head in the opposite direction (hence using two different types of folds for the neck). Glue in place. 

Now valley fold along all of the marked lines on the head: you will see the head folds up into a neat little box. Glue the tabs to the inside of the head as you go. Notice the rod sticking out of the back of the head, the neck coming from below, and the tracing-paper eyes. (More pics here and here of the head)

Step Six: Making the body

This is very similar to making the head, with the exceptions of adding the arms, legs and neck. You will also notice that due to the size of using a pdf for the pattern, the body is in two sections, which will need to be glued together (pictured here).

Cut out the body patterns along the black hard lines. Glue the two parts together by overlapping the tab (near the areas marked ‘leg’) onto the other body part. Using your scalpel, cut along the red dotted lines. Be careful when cutting the ‘X’, as you might rip the paper and cause the X to become larger than needed. Grab the other ‘rod’ tube, and push the fringed end into the ‘X’ (ie. with the non-fringed end sticking out at the back of the paper/cardboard). Fold the fringes down onto the paper/cardboard and glue in place. 

Get one of your leg pieces, insert and glue the fat arrow ‘tab’ into one of the slots marked ‘leg’. (Just for reference: the tabs at the top of the legs and arms will end up inside the body, for better security of attachment) Do the same for the other leg. Now attach the arms with glue to the areas marked ‘arm’. You can glue the arms so they point straight out from the body (making it slightly harder to use the rods), or you can glue them using the purple arrows as a guide, causing the arms to jut out of the body at a slight angle (making using the rods slightly easier). IMPORTANT: make sure to lay the arm down onto the body with the ‘rod’ pointing up towards you. This ensures the arm is attached facing the correct way when the body is completely folded up and glued together.

Next, get your neck piece, and push it through the straight red dotted line marked in the middle of the pattern. You should have the mountain/valley fold section pushed up through the cut, with the rest of the neck hanging down below
the body piece (see photo to right and/or video). That is, you don’t want the head folded into the body  You want the head on the outside! Also, make sure the rods are both at the back of the puppet: you don’t want to attach the head the wrong way around either! Fold the mountain fold down onto the body, and fold the valley fold down onto the body in the opposite direction (hence using two different types of folds for the neck). Glue in place. 

Now valley fold along all of the marked lines on the body: you will see the body folds up into a neat little box; make sure that the head, arms and legs are attached correctly as you go. Glue the tabs to the inside of the body.

Yay! You’re finished! More pics of the finished puppet, plain or green, are here, here and here.

Step Seven: Play!

A table-top puppet like this is best used with three puppeteers. One operates the feet, one operates the left arm and back, and one operates the head and right arm. This can require a lot of practice to get coordination right: the simplest and easiest thing to remember when working with three puppeteers is that the person operating the head and right arm is in charge! Using bunraku principles, quite literally the head operator leads the movement, the person on the left arm and back follows, and the person moving the feet is last. An exercise to practice is shown in the video below; get the puppet to kneel or lie down. By moving the head first, (for those who do drama classes, imagine it like a ’spinal roll’, with the top of the head leading the movement, and the spine following), the rest of the body follows until the knees meet the table. In fact, I don’t move the feet at all, only the puppet’s head!

If you do find that the rods at the back of the puppet (whether they be arm, leg, head or body) are too short, attach a piece of wire or dowel to them. You will find that it makes things easier.

An excellent tip: gravity is your friend. Most beginners will feel the need to push the puppet down onto the ground or table when using it. Not true! Hold the head of the puppet so that the feet just touch the ground/table, don’t feel the need to force the puppet to touch anything. This will allow a natural walking bounce when moving the puppet, and will also allow more coordination and flexibility between puppeteers. Also, the head puppeteer is in charge of the height of the puppet, which means that the other puppeteers shouldn’t be pulling the puppet down via the rods, but rather holding them gently and lightly. The person doing the rod on the back of the puppet is there simply to ensure the puppet’s body has support and for extra movement in the hip area.

Another fun exercise is swimming in mid-air: get the puppeteers to turn the puppet on its side (sidestroke swimming), with the head leading the movement, the left or right arm doing the sidestroke actions, and the legs kicking. By taking your time and coordinating the movements, you can create a quite convincing swimming action.

You can also try walking, or a simple ‘exploration’ exercise, whereby the puppet explores a ‘new’ place or emotion. You can even put it all together, by creating a scene where the puppet enters a new place, finds a pond, bends down to look in, falls in, and starts swimming… 

If you’re like me, and didn’t have someone else to help you, this can be a great practice puppet for improvisation, exploration, emotion, and other such things. For use with one puppeteer, simply hold the rod in the back of the head, and the right arm; let go of the right arm and grab hold of the leg/s when necessary; use of the back rod should be kept to a minimum. For two puppeteers, have one person on the head and right arm, and the other moving the legs, with ocassional use of the back or left arm.

…  If anything at all above was unclear, please leave a comment. I’m sure that much of the above made sense in my head, but perhaps doesn’t make as much sense on paper.