Also NOT known as humans acting like puppets; this is NOT about Halloween costumes.

AKA how to make facial expressions puppets

We continue where we left off from Part Two of this explanation (Part one is here), in which realism was discussed. From this, we get a basic idea that no human puppet ever looks entirely realistic, but that it is possible to get it close (like with caricature puppets).

So now we move to facial features, proportions and other necessary characteristics of human puppets. Basically, in order to make a puppet look like a human, you have to have human features: all humans have noses, so human puppets should also have noses; all humans have ears, so human puppets should have ears. And so on. So let’s make a list of the features a human puppet should have:

• Nose
• Ears
• Eyes
• Mouth (and tongue, and lips)
• Hair (unless bald)
• Eyebrows
• Eyelashes (unless male; eyelashes on puppets tend to ‘girly’ up the puppet and make it look feminine whether the puppet is female or not)
• Arms and hands
• Legs and feet (sometimes optional, especially in making muppet-type puppets, where legs can get in the way of the performance)
• Body (for women, inclusive of breasts)
• Neck

The more human features you have, the more ‘realistic’ you are; this applies to making animal puppets too, only with animal-like features, such as snouts, hooves, or tails.

But how do we get these features onto your puppet? Easy. Start by making a sketch or simply dive into the puppet making. Depending on what materials you are using and what puppet type you’re making of course! But the best way to start, especially if you’re new to making puppets, or human puppets, is by learning about proportions. By learning the proportions and placements of each of the facial features, you can make sure your puppet doesn’t come out looking like a Picasso painting - unless of course, that’s your aim !

Any decent book on drawing cartoons, sketching, or life drawing, will help you learn the basics of proportions. If you don’t want to buy a book, I recommend checking out Learn to Draw and The Mad Blog (it’s more cartoonish, but has some very good explanations of shapes and placements of facial features) here and here. There are of course, more sites out there for learning about proportions, but I recommend these because I was a complete novice on human facial features before reading these pages. I now understand quite a bit about placement of ears, eyes, and noses! Do keep in mind that puppet eyes are completely different from 2D drawings - you should also read my post on placement of eyes.

Whilst you’re thinking about proportions and human features, you should also consider the puppet character. Will it be old (therefore, features may sag), or young? Will the character be male or female? Will it be rich or poor? Etc. More info is given at the link above on characters and the things to think about when creating one.

From here, all of the features must be created, whether they are made separate to the puppet and then glued or sewn on, or carved directly into the materials. If you want to be as realistic as possible, then use materials that create the best realism. For instance, using acrylic eyes like what is used in toy dolls or on animatronics, can provide a ‘glassier’ eye than a polystyrene ball. Real hair or wigs is more realistic than using wool. Fake nails can be added to the fingertips of a female puppet. And so on. 

It’s important to remember: human features can be used or not used as per your wishes. If you don’t need eyelashes on a puppet, then don’t use them. If you don’t need ears, don’t use them. I personally don’t like putting noses on my moppets, it’s just an aesthetic thing. In most cases with puppets, less is more. Just because you’re making a human puppet doesn’t mean you have to have every facial feature; and this goes back to what I was saying in Part Two about realism. You don’t have to make it as realistic as possible; in fact, just by having a few facial features (mouth, eyes, and hair for instance), you already suggest the idea of the puppet being human to the audience. All you need to do is make the audience believe the puppet is of human character, and amazingly enough, we people are smart enough to join the dots. So don’t feel like you have to have some feature if you don’t like it or if the puppet doesn’t look right with it. 

I also think it’s important to remember that a puppet will be seen from all sides. It’s very easy to forget this when you’re sitting down at your table and adding facial features; and generally only looking at the puppet from the front. If you add flat facial features, then from the side, the puppet’s face looks incredibly flat and dull; if the eyes disappear from view on the side of the face, then the audience will suddenly lose an important characteristic of the puppet. So at all times, think about how the puppet will be viewed from all sides. Remember, humans aren’t exactly ‘flat’ from the profile; the nose sticks out, the eyes bulge, the eyebrow bone gives shape, along with the chin and cheeks. 

Whilst we’re here, it’s also a good idea to slightly exaggerate facial features. This is especially true of any puppet that will be performed live, instead of recorded on film. Cameras and close-ups have the added benefit of providing more realism to any puppet, and features don’t have to be exaggerated to be seen; but audience members sitting 10, 20 or 40 rows away from the stage will have difficulty seeing features if they are not exaggerated (again this harks back to Part Two). Cheeks, eyebrows, and noses contribute greatly to making exaggerated features, and fuller lips are noticed more easily than thin ones. By using cartoon principles, as described above at Learn to Draw and The Mad Blog, you can figure out which features to exaggerate and which ones to minimise. 

… I think I’ve covered everything in terms of features and proportions; if I’ve left something out or something is not clear, please leave a comment. Keep your eyes peeled for Part Four - differences between male and female puppets.

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