Tutorial: Upcycled Puppet

Written By Amy DeCaussin

This tutorial is STEP 3 in a series of videos covering the full build of this Stop-Motion Puppet. To watch STEPS 1 + 2, CLICK HERE.

Building a Stop-Motion Puppet: The Head

In my last tutorial, I shared how I built the body of this upcycled stop motion puppet (click here). Today, we’re focusing on how to make her head — using recycled materials that keep her lightweight.

This puppet, is of a character I’m working on, Mossie. She is part plant and this version of her is designed to perform an animated dance. That means the head needs to be versitle, lightweight and durable, however she does not need to have a face that is animated as much. Her face construction is simple, other than her eye lids that blink. I’m really just focused on her dance performance. Other forms of this character can work to bring out her expression.

If you’re looking for a sustainable, DIY approach to puppet fabrication, here’s exactly how I built her head from start to finish.

Building the Base with Egg Cartons

The core of the head is made from egg carton pieces that are cut and glued to provide structure and shape.

Egg cartons are one of my favorite materials for upcycled puppet making. They’re lightweight, easy to shape, and already have subtle curves that work beautifully for sculptural forms.

Once the basic shape was constructed, I added paper mache to strengthen the structure.

What Is Paper Mache?

Paper mache is simply flour and water mixed together. When it dries, it hardens into a lightweight but sturdy surface. It’s an affordable and eco-friendly way to reinforce puppet structures.

A Paper Sculpted Face

The facial features were sculpted using handmade watercolor paper that contains linen. The linen fibers give the paper an incredibly durable quality that can withstand shaping, gluing, and even sewing. You can actually make your own paper! The paper I am using was made by another artist who specialized in this craft, but sorry—they are no longer in business!

The paper pieces were glued onto the egg carton base.

The curves of the facial features are shallow. As I wanted my watercolor painting to play a large role in her aesthetic, I focused on using the value structure (light and shadow) to provide the right amount of contrast to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth.

Painting the Soul: Watercolor Face

I began painting the face with watercolor.

Because Mossie is part plant, her skin is green. I added subtle reds and pinks to bring warmth and life to her expression.

Fine details were added using:

For this puppet, only the eyelids are animated. Since she will primarily be dancing, I didn’t need complex facial animation — just the ability to blink.

Structuring the Eyes

The eyes took several attempts before I was satisfied.

Creating soulful eyes when they are not painted together directly on the face can make it tricky. The Irises and Pupils must align just right in order to capture a lively expression.

For the final version I used:

  • The dark green plastic from an olive oil bottle.

  • Gold foil from a chocolate wrapper

  • Green cotton fabric

  • White plastic cut from food containers

The cotton fabric was glued onto the gold foil to strengthen it while keeping it flexible to create eye lids that bend.

The paper eyes were cut and glued onto the white plastic. Together, the eyelids and eyes were inserted into slits cut with a razor where the bottom of the eye-socket would be. I hot glued them into place.

Creating Plant Hair

Since Mossie is part plant, her hair is made to look botanical.

Her hair is made from:

  • Green fabric scraps

  • Ribbon

  • String

  • Felt

  • Found sticks and bark from my back yard.

It’s layered and textured, giving her an organic quiff that provides an extension to her body lines.

Finishing Touches

I added polyurethane to the paper to help it stay protected and durable during her dance routines, and out in the elements.

This build blends:

  • Upcycled materials

  • Paper mache

  • Handmade paper

  • Textile layering

  • Recycled plastics

All while maintaining lightweight flexibility for dance animation.

Next up: her clothing.

Stay tuned for the next tutorial in this stop-motion puppet series, where I’ll share how I create her costume.

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Amy DeCaussin
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Tutorial: Upcycled Puppet