Online Puppet Making Course

Through online books and videos learn how to sculpt a clay head, hands and feet 

and make a puppet body and cross from wood.

Course material includes basic and more advanced puppet making; 

paint instructions and clothing advise. ***

See my website for further details and to sign up.

€47.50 for access to full course, or buy one segment at the time (from €7.50).

In addition, online support can be purchased. 

 Sign up here 

'The Girls' by Corina Duyn
Waiting for their jackets to be made.

This is how I got to sharing my puppet making course with people all over the world. Join in?

Born in the Netherlands in the early 60’s, I made tiny dolls clothes on a hand-singer-sewing machine since I was about 7. I still have some of these clothes, and the fabric doll I made with my aunt when I was ten.

To make my first puppet at age 15, I followed the instructions in ‘Karakterpoppen’ (Character dolls) by Jeannette Hildersley, published in 1974. I was hooked. I borrowed several doll making books from the library, and purchased many others over the following decades. I followed a short course and private module with amazing Dutch Doll Artist Marlaine Verhelst in the ’90. Other than that all my work has been self-taught.

The work I create now is a compilation of all these experiences and explorations. Mixing and matching the techniques I learned, and adapted to my needs. Life’s circumstances have certainly played a roll too. I moved to Ireland in 1989. During the ‘90 I created ‘Fantasy Folk’ Artist Dolls, very much inpired by culture and nature of Ireland. As it was my living, some dolls/puppets were a design range, although still all original pieces.

I also did some teaching in my studio and in a group home for young people during 1997/8. There I realized the power of the arts, of creating dolls and puppets. I realized that ‘the clay would not lie’. That our emotions, thoughts, desires, fears, make their way from our brains, through our hands and into our work. This experience was a pivotal moment in my own creative development and subsequent work.

Illness changed my life

Becoming ill in 1998 changed the output, design and intensity of my work. (You can see some of the created art  and books on my website). During the early years of learning to live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.), I was unable to sculpt as I had lost the ability to hold tools, or have the energy to hold my arms up. As I spend many years housebound - my world became small. However, this gave me the opportunity to closely observe the birds. Nature became my teacher and made its way into my creations.

Illness and resulting disability dictated the method by which I could sculpt again many years later. I adapted tools, and found new ways to work. Mostly twenty minutes at the time. But small segments of time still result in finished work. It just all takes a little longer…

Life Outside the Box

During 2015/6 I was well enough to teach again. I facilitated a puppet-making project with other people with disabilities. Over the period of about 8 months we created nine puppets stepping out of the Disability Box. We created a short film: ‘Life Outside the Box’. We all had support staff. Without this practical support I could not teach. 

This project let to invitations to give talks about Puppetry, Disability and Health in Ireland, UK, and via Skype in Brazil and Chile. Life altering experiences.

The year after facilitating ‘Life Outside the Box’, I started teaching in my studio which is in the lovey garden. The benefits were plenty: I could set up the workspace a day in advance, and three students could continue to work in my studio when I needed to go inside to rest. It was a good compromise. I could still teach, although with a much smaller group. I loved seeing the puppets evolve: each telling their own stories. 
Making puppets remains a wondrous journey of discovery.

Corina with student Lorraine Shanhan's puppet
Fagitti, trying out her hairstyle. 

Online teaching

During one of these courses I was communicating with Linda Crowhurst, a woman living with severe M.E. for 25 years. Her husband Greg is her fulltime carer. Both amazing advocates for our illness. During one communication, Linda expressed in passing that Greg would love to make a puppet. I wrote: “There is always a way”. This was the start of creating my distant learning puppet making course.

Some of the material you will explore was initially created for Greg, who made ‘Johnny Toes’. The course as you see it now, has been created in response to questions from my students as I went along. It explores basic sculpting, and more advanced techniques.

Stepping back, or reaching out

Last year my ability to teach even a small group in my studio became impossible. Over the course of a year, while teaching a few people via distant learning in Ireland, Scotland and India, I created more instruction films and documented all stages of puppet making through photos and written instructions.

But even these fully guided distant learning courses are now beyond my physical ability. Feeling a sadness to have all that work hidden on my computer, I decided to release them out of obscurity and share them with interested creatives. 

Book your course HERE 

It brings me joy to think that people all over the world can taste a little of the magic which is making puppets (or dolls). As much as I am happy to share my work, I hope that it is respected that these instructions are for those who paid for access. 

All funds raised through my course will pay for a Creative PA (Personal Assistance) to help me to still be able to create, although at yet again in a new way.

At present (autumn 2019) I continue to write a script and design props for a puppet film with the working title ‘Invisible Octopus’. More about this in a later blog. This was made possible through an Arts & Disability Ireland ‘Connect’ mentoring bursary with Dr. Emma Fisher. The bursary has also funded Creative PA support for the duration of the bursary. I would not be able to create any of my work without the help of able hands…

Please explore my website/blog and social media pages to read about my work, see imagery, watch puppet movies, learn about my illness and the associating challenges, explore my books, or read transcripts of my talks, or to see where the puppet movie script will bring me in time to come.

I hope to be able to welcome on board to explore the joys of puppet making for yourself.

Corina

Social media links:

Website 

Facebook art page 

Youtube videos (not tuition ones)

Instagram 

Twitter

Life Outside the Box 

*** This course material was created by Corina Duyn and draws on four decades of experience. It is for your personal use only. Please do not share this course content with people who have not paid for it. If you intent to follow this course in a group, please get in touch as I can offer discounted rates. Licenses are available for institutions, colleges, etc. Please note that having followed this course does not mean you can teach this course using my material. Please contact me if you have questions.*** 

Thank you for your understanding.

My heart leaps when I think of these incredible creative moments.

Once a week, my studio is alive.

More alive than it has ever been since it was build six years ago.

I get there when I can, 

but since I started teaching...

There is laughter.

There is chat.

Creative Silence.

And wonder.

So much wonder.

I watch in awe as the puppet characters come to live 

from a piece of clay, 

through the hands of their makers.

I know this is not always an easy process.

It requires patience.

And trust.

Trust to let the creative process happen.

To let the puppet arrive, 

not always as the maker had anticipated.

The key is to let it happen.

Such joy when it DOES happen.

My heart leaps when I think of these incredible moments.

Here a brief introduction to the makers and their puppet heads in progress:

Pascale De Coninck, Jackie Flynn, Louise Clarke in my studio, 

and Greg Crowhurst via distant learning. 

(Who also joins us when possibly via video link during the Monday class)

The studio-students are almost ready to paint their puppets.

The heads are made, the hands are almost finished. 

The bodies are being assembled. 

The clothing designs discussed and fabric gathered.

Pascale

Jackie

Louise



Greg

The three studio-students keep on working, 
when I retreat to my house to rest. 
But I relish in seeing them through the window.
And hear the sounds.

My studio is a happy place.

Thank you all!

*I was recently interviews by Stephen from Puppet Place in Bristol- 

on how I came to be a puppet maker, and teacher.

See this link: Puppets And M.E.

* If you like to book a class...

• The next class of three students is fully booked.
• But I am taking bookings for 8 week studio-based-class starting in March 2018.
• Or if you like to do a distant learning course, that can start any time. I supply most of the materials, step by step guidelines, as well as several online tutorials. 
• Have a group project in mind?
• For further details on all these options, please contact me.

The healing effects of teaching puppet-making

There is so much in my head that I like to share with you. Thoughts about healing, recovery, miraculous recovery, challenges, health, or not as the case may be, but somehow all roads lead to the beauty of sharing the art of making puppets.

... do I know you? ...
(Pascale De Coninck with puppet-head by Louise Clark)

Longing

I so long to be well enough to get up in the morning with ease, go to my studio, or to my desk and sculpt, sew, write, share, teach. Or to be out in the garden and get rid of the weeds- but leave anything which insects and birds might like to nibble on over the winter.

The other night after another trip to hospital -this time for a planned appointment, not an unplanned trip in an ambulance - I was too tired to have a good night sleep. One of peculiarities of M.E.(ME/CFS). There is a fine balance between being tired enough to go to sleep, and being too tired. Anyway. At some point I got up again to get something to drink, and I picked up my notebook. I wrote:  " ... All I have left in me are tears. I so want to just get on with my life.  A miraculous recovery overnight is VERY WELCOME. Whatever way it comes.  Thank you."

The intriguing roads to recovery

There has been so much in the news about ME lately, about very dodgy suggestions that recovery is possible, as long as you follow some weird science. Well, I am absolutely delighted if people find ways to beat illness, in whatever way, as long as people are not being exploited by quacks along the way.

I always felt that I would recover in my own time, in my own way. Through a positive mindset, understanding nature's wisdom, and be involved in creativity in all its ways. My mantra for years was "I write myself into wellbeing". And writing most definitely had a huge impact on learning to live well with illness.

I certainly have improved much from the early years, see Hatched- a creative Journey Through M.E. (1998-2006), but I am not as good as I was a decade ago. I am hopeful though, that my current adventures with all things puppet will eventually bring me closer to a level of wellbeing. Again. I am hopeful. And almost convinced.

The puppet-related adventures definitely bring me joy, and energy, 

which is not exactly a physical energy, but energy at a different level.

even the start of making feet are already showing the
different characters they are going to be

So, ... teaching puppet making in my studio

As you might know I have started to teach in my studio. One and half hours a week. Anne's Japanese Dancer (see link below under image) was the first puppet/doll. The second course with three students started almost two weeks ago. And what fun! And, I am getting better at setting my personal limits, and devising ways so my students can work further on their puppets in my studio, in their own time (or at home).

Sharing all I have learned about making puppets over that past 4 decades is enjoyable. But what intrigues me most of all is what puppet making does to the maker.  In my classes I am not overly concerned with the perfect face, but what character emerges from a block of clay. From the hands of the maker. From the inner thoughts of the maker. 

It is a truly wondrous journey.

Jackie O'Flynn working on her puppet-head

Teaching via post and cyberspace.

Greg Crowhurt's Johnny Toes-
 to be made as puppet

During a communication with Linda and Greg Crowhurst a seed was planted in my head to see how I can help Greg to bring his Johnny Toes character into puppet form. Some amazingly powerful moments have occurred. Of finding ways to teach Greg via email, photos, images, written instructions. To find ways to not expose Linda to the dangers of chemical smells of glue, or to sounds from skype conversations.
The experience the heartbreak of the limitations of living with severe ME put on just the person living with this, but also the carer. My heart goes out to them and to anyone living with the incredibly challenging circumstance.

The beauty of helping Greg to fulfill on his dream, is also how many others are getting involved. Offers of fabric for the clothing, and the weaving of the strap for his guitar.  To making suggestions to limit the challenges which undoubtedly will occur along the way.
I put a box together with all that is required to bring Johnny Toes into being. See a wonderfully excited Greg when the box of goodies arrived at his house. (see link below).

Teaching, and sharing, the art of puppet making, might not be my miraculous recovery, but it surely is bringing a different kind of energy into my life. A goosebumps kind of energy. 

Who knows where it will lead.

Anne stopped by to show us Mia's kimono

My own 'girls' are starting to take shape
and seem to be having a chat...

Further reading and links

• Follow Greg and Johnny Toes's adventures , including how others are getting involved, when The Box arrived
• Interested in doing a course, either in my studio or online/post? Please contact me
• The Dance of Puppetry and disability