Like so many other ambiguous topics (ie., how to make a foam puppet, what sort of materials to use when making puppets, etc etc), this one is not something that can be answered with any clarity. Foam can be used for marionettes, muppet-type puppets, rod puppets, glove puppets… Likewise, there are any number of materials and tools that can be used depending on what type of puppet you’re making, and a billion other reasons. There are just too many variables to give a definitive answer, and it’s the same with the question of making a ‘traditional‘ puppet.

When we ask the question, the first thing that leaps to mind is: "traditional" to what? Traditional to the Japanese? Traditional glove puppets? Traditional to settlers, versus traditional to native Americans? Traditional marionettes in England, as compared to traditional marionettes in Italy?

There are puppet types that come from all over the world. Shadow puppets from Asia differ in design from those in Europe; indeed, Indonesian puppets differ greatly in style from those made in China. Likewise, Greek shadow puppets are traditionally made differently to those made in France. And that’s just shadow puppets we’re talking about. There’s another good ten or fifteen types of ‘traditional‘ puppets, without including all sorts of modern and contemporary modifications. Indeed, one can make an entirely ‘traditional‘ puppet, without using any traditional materials! 

So the next time you’re looking for info on making traditional puppets, I highly recommend first figuring out what type of puppet you’d like to make; and then research the history and style of that particular puppet type within one area of the world. You might discover that there is more to puppetry than the stereotyped marionette or Punch and Judy, and that the detail and differences between puppetry around the world makes for a fascinating tour of human culture. 

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