Puppet Making Course access details

October 2021 - further edits 13 February 2023 - Edited March 2026 - new ISSUU link

Online Puppet making course with Artist and Puppet Designer Corina Duyn. After more than 50 years of learning and three decades of teaching, Corina is no longer able to create puppets, or teach. However she made the decision to share all the very detailed course instructions publicly via 2.5 hours of Youtube videos.  In march 2016 a newly compiled book with in total 85 pages with step-by-step written and photographic instructions books has been published on her ISSUU channel.

See https://issuu.com/littlewings/docs/puppet_making_with_corina_duyn

These are for both basic and more advanced puppets. Learn how to sculpt a clay head, hands and feet for a puppet with DAS self hardening clay. How to make a wooden or cloth puppet body, assembling instructions, and suggestions on painting, and dressing/hair.  As well as two cross samples, how to string up your puppet and animate it. Sculpting instruction also applicable to create a doll, or bust. 

Please note that all the material was created during a time Corina was still teaching, so any comments to ‘get in touch’ is no longer applicable. It course is for your personal use only. Having followed this course does not mean you can teach this course using my material. Thank you for your understanding.

 I hope you will enjoy embarking on this creative adventure. When your puppet is complete I love to see images of it. With every best creative wish.

Corina Duyn 2019/2023/2026 Corina Duyn © 2019 www.corinaduyn.com 

Course access made public October 2021 - further edits February 2023.

For links to more of my work in puppetry see: Puppetry webpage, or explore the many articles and images on this blog, including: 50 minute video lecture on the Power of the Puppet  is available on HERE And See summary of my work in “23 year long creative history of living with M.E.” 

Website www.corinaduyn.com

Blog www.corinaduyn.blogspot.ie

Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/flyingonlittlewings

Instagram www.instagram.com/corinaduyn

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/corina.duyn.7

‘The Girls’ © Corina Duyn 2017

COURSE DETAILS General Overview: ISUUU books   And YouTube videos 

In detail: 

Introduction and general information for your course:

• Please read: Introduction and general guidelines in the newly compiles course document on ISSUU: 

https://issuu.com/littlewings/docs/puppet_making_with_corina_duyn

• For a glimpse into my [previous] Little Wings Studio: https://youtu.be/s7Oa8-0lKgk (1.47)
• Important Sanding instructions: https://youtu.be/yke3zQgZ3d8 (2.04)

In my course I recommend the use of white DAS air drying clay as other brands have different drying properties and may shrink too much which causes problems. DAS is very strong and can be used to sculpt very fine details. 

https://www.corinaduyn.com/site/puppet-making-course/

March 2026 - all sections of the course are now in the one document: https://issuu.com/littlewings/docs/puppet_making_with_corina_duyn

Sculpting the Head

The videos and ISSUU documents are interchangeable between using glass eyes and creating sculpted eyes. I suggest you watch, and read both at each step of the sculpting process. The (2.04) indicate length of the videos Please make sure to watch the Youtube videos in HD

• Introduction; creating the base; sculpting the features; sculpted eyes; and alternative suggestion to add the head to a bust (in stead of making it into a puppet),

• Starting the base of Head https://youtu.be/YUlf1zsD6X0 (10.08)
• Building up the face- (glass eyes) https://youtu.be/EvZbDlTKzHA (8.04)
• Building up the face- (sculpted eyes) https://youtu.be/R6FltP40F8w (7.26)
• Nose, lips (and eyebrows for puppet with glass eyes) https://youtu.be/b782Lj-t9TI (13.57)
• Sculpted eyes, and adding cheeks: https://youtu.be/zJ8-EYmFJek (11.05)
• Adding features & ears: https://youtu.be/5WlXQAozgzE (15.57)
• Finishing the head and neck: https://youtu.be/CYGp2X4jdKU (3.10)

Hands and Feet: 

The videos and ISSUU books are interchangeable I suggest you watch, and read both at each step of the sculpting process. The (2.04) indicate length of the videos. Please make sure to watch the Youtube videos in HD. For a master class on these, please contact my mentor and teacher Marlaine Verhelst.

• Introduction and instructions on sculpting Hands and Feet
• Sculpting “Easy Hands”: https://youtu.be/ElKWN_IOCjs (4.42)
• Sculpting Detailed Hands (1) base/fingers: https://youtu.be/wq9dH_cYKYs (17.3)
• Sculpting Detailed Hands (2) detailing: https://youtu.be/ANHqP5-ncRM (9.22)
• Sculpting the base for Feet/shoes: https://youtu.be/kGmY-hwtw-8 3.41

Body and Cross

• Introduction and instruction on wooden puppet body and cross, and how to animate your puppet
• See design of body used in the course below
• Assembling the wooden body https://youtu.be/ALjK0WxLnIM (8.14)
• Assembling puppet and cross, adding strings, and stringing up https://youtu.be/vOV235Tu4q8  (15.31)
• Animating your puppet https://youtu.be/cby6fJ9N6es (5.50)
• Alternative cross https://youtu.be/fg5p77Aa_ZY  (1.08)

Painting and clothing/hair suggestions:

• Introduction to painting the clay parts, and some suggestions on clothing and hair styles; 
• Painting:  https://youtu.be/RE4VdXNVWXI  (21.08)
• Painting sculpted in eyes: https://youtu.be/qdHc-rZR7Ok  (10.24)

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.

Two puppets, made by my students, portraying huge individuality.

Well, Louise and Pascale finished their puppets!

(Jackie, was unable to join us, so images of her puppet later).

Dedication!

The two puppet makers were in my studio for over 6 hours,

to work on the final stages of their puppets.

Adding hair, hat, paint, strings, and hang on crosses.

Both these puppets came together in the end through team effort.

Beautiful.

I was in the studio on and off, and felt like a proud "Granny"

to see both puppets being walked into my house.

Their first steps into our world.

The finished puppets by
Louise Clarke and Pascale De Coninck

Both will add more to their work.

Louise's tree-lady, will be accompanied by a tree, of which the branches will move the puppet. Hopefully another collaboration with artist Dominic Fee.

Pascale's Puppet will be holding - and using- a bow and arrow. The mechanism to make this work, will have to be figured out after the bow and arrow are made.

But for now, these puppets are sharing their beauty, their individuality with us all.

What an amazing journey it was!

Thank you Louise, Pascale and Jackie for allowing me to be your guide.

I will write another post when the puppets are fully finished, as well as updates on Jackie's and Greg's Puppets. 

The distant learning class is continuing, and alway open to new students. Contact me to hear more about this. And the next studio class is starting at the end of November. Fully booked, but if you are interested in a course during 2018. Please contact me.

So beautiful!

Proud Mammies

Final touches

Beauty does not come without pain...

This is how my studio looked when I left for a rest

My amazing students cleared up the studio
after finishing their class. What a lovely surprise.

Both proud mammies brought in their 'newborns'
(as Anne Palmer called them.
Anne made a Japanese Dancer in my studio)
to show me, while I rested on the couch.

On another exciting note:

• The Life Outside the Box puppet film will be screened at the Together! Festival of Disability Arts in London on the 9th December. Read about it HERE
• And I have been invited to give a talk, and be part of a panel about puppetry, disability and health, at the Nottingham Puppetry Festival, in March of next year. And at the Puppet Power festival in Calgary, Canada in June.  Who knows!

Painting puppet heads

From left to right - puppet heads by:
Corina, Jackie, Pascale, Louise
They all have their story to tell!
Although we all started in the same way-
with a stick and strip of cotton -
the heads are taking on their individual character,
every single step of the process.

It was a day of painting at the studio last week.
One more step to bring the puppets - created by my students - alive

heads-hands-feet-shoes...

I am looking forward to see them all assembled and dressed and moving like puppets. Last class next Monday. So proud of what has been created.

In the meantime, Greg - my distant learning student - is working away of Johnny Toes, and even took up painting again, and baking, and playing music. Read his story HERE 

Further reading:

• More about the Puppet making workshop, see HERE
• More about my own puppets, see HERE

'Reflection' puppets are ready to face the world

"Suddenly" my 'Reflection' Girls are done
(apart from attaching their strings to the crosses)

     

They went from this about 6 months ago
(one head made 4 years ago)...

to this...

to this...

to this...

becoming impatient...

At every step in the making, painting, and dressing up, they took on more of their personalities.

They talk... or so it seems...

According to Christine Fenton, the girls are discussing travelling to the the screening of 
Unrest in Dublin. 
A film about the realities of life with ME
Screening at Trinity in Dublin 9th November
and also at the Cork Film Festival 19th November
and as far as I know it will also be screened in Galway. 

Further reading and links

• For information on puppet making classes, please see HERE
• The Reflection Puppets will Dance, with the help of Artist Dominic Fee
• Puppetry and Disability
• Puppets and my life with M.E.

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.