Murdoch The Seaman Puppet (Part 4)

Quick note: Morezmore is now on Instagram – morezmorestudio
Another quick note: We sell everything I use here. So if you see something useful, get it from Morezmore.

Continues from Part 3

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Now the clothes…

Boots
Tools and Materials on the photos below
Leather
stretch foam
cotton balls
paper towel
removable scotch tape
fabritac glue
acetone (to thin fabritac)
toothpicks
scissors
needle and thread
x-acto knife
pliers
foamies craft foam
acrylic paints, black, burnt umber, yellow ochre, white.
mini brushes

Leather – if you are shopping, look for “paper thin leather”.  Leather from old gloves works too.

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Not too tight – the joint still need to move.

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After that there was a significant amount of pulling, shaping, squeezing, pulling off the glued leather, adding more cotton under the leather, gluing it back, adding wrinkles with tweezers, etc – to make these boots look like old worn out boots.
Then distressing the leather with sanding paper.
Then touch-painting (rubbing rather) with brown, yellow and white acrylics to get the scuffed look.
Done.

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And these are my new photo lights that I am happy about.

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Finishing the padding (long johns)
Tools and Materials on the photos below
tubular gauze, sizes 22mm (for the body) and 16mm (for the limbs)
fabritac glue
acetone (to thin fabritac)
toothpicks
scissors
Pull tubular gauze over the armature, trim, glue the edges

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Breeches.
This are real antique breeches from a museum. I will try to replicate that.

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Tools and Materials on the photos below

The fabric is Robert Kaufman Laguna Stretch Cotton Jersey Knit and it resembles a thin soft t-shirt.
(manufacturer’s description: high-quality lightweight cotton jersey knit fabric with 50% four-way stretch for added comfort and ease).
paper towel
removable scotch tape
fabritac glue
acetone (to thin fabritac)
toothpicks
scissors
4mm metal buttons, in bronze color
needle and thread
Golden acrylic paint, in Light Burnt Umber

If you need info on how to take the measurements and make the pattern, head over here

The coloring of the fabric with an acrylic paint wash was an experiment and it worked great (Golden acrylic paint, in Light Burnt Umber). I had to do it 3 times to get to the color I wanted, drying in between coats. It is not as much as painting as saturating the fabric with acrylic wash (a bit of paint, a bit of water mixed). After it dried, it had a bit of stiffness, which was perfect for me (the original fabric is baby-soft).

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Incidentally, here is Murdoch’s whaling ship (and the miniature ship model used). This is from the animators.
Follow @workshedanimation for more fascinating “behind the scenes” bits.

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Shirt
If you need info on how to take the measurements and make the pattern, head over HERE.
Follow the measurement instructions on King’s Jacket. Other puppets descriptions that include pattern construction: Miss Marple, Jester, King, Igor, Nikolai, Sophronia, and maybe others, don’t remember at the moment.

Fabric: Stretch Rayon Challis, very thin silky stretch material.
If you need to make holes, paint the spot with some clear lacquer, allow to dry, then cut or punch the hole. Looks nicer, prevents fraying.

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This is the correct way to hold the removable hands while changing. Do not hold it by silicone, as your effort might tear it, hold it by the square brass tube.

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Continues on Part 5