Stag - Body Modification

        I had hoped that completing the stop motion stag puppet (a character from David Clement Davies' book Firebringer) would be a relatively quick and straight forward project., and prove a valuable contribution to my portfolio, as my first quadruped stop motion puppet. After all, the design and a significant amount of sponge padding around the armature (building up the body shape) had already been completed as part of my CoP3 module. In theory all that was left for me to do was to complete padding out the body shape, cover the puppet with fur, and create the head and antlers.

        However, it is often said that stop motion animation is the process of overcoming a series of problems, and this puppet posed more problems than I had initially anticipated. The body padding which I had already completed had been done hurriedly, using too much glue, which created a rigid seam between each section, not to mention compromising the puppet's flexibility. This was not too much of a problem to remedy, as the body was constructed using the same templates (albeit on a smaller scale) which were used for the theatrical stag puppet. All I needed to do was cut another set of body shapes and use a smaller amount of glue, kept close to the centre of the stag's body, where the armature runs through it. Now, the body is soft to the touch and far more flexible.

        A far bigger problem was presented by the neck. I had originally intended to continue in the same style, cutting sponge templates to shape the stag's prominent neck.. However it swiftly became apparent that the volume of the stag's neck would obstruct and resist the movement of the armature when the neck extended to the floor (an important movement for a deer). Even when using thinner foam, or hollowing out the sponge segments the problem persisted. I will now have to consider alternative techniques which will allow the necessary movement while still keeping the distinctive shape which is a key part of the character.

Possible solutions include:

• Still using sponge templates, at intervals, rather than solidly, up the neck, and covering with fabric/fur. That way, the templates will act as a support, much like a hooped petticoat, but hopefully offer less resistance.
• Pad out the shape using cotton wool.
• Thin the neck down, and add the extra volume at the front as a ruffle of fur, more like a lion's mane. The whole neck need not be solid 'muscle'.