Darkest Dark Puppet Manual
Storyboard Text
- The Darkest Dark Puppet User Manual
- Hi! I'm Sonja and I built this puppet! This is an insider look at how it was made and how to take care of it
- The Design
- Puppet Requirements
- Anna's Requirements: Eyes that glow green Eyes blink Approximately 6' tall 2' wideStrong but lightweightFlies in through a windowFlowy movementUV paint treatment*Ideally it can be taken apart to repair and store or tour with
- Finished Puppet in Rehearsal
- Elements
- MAIN COMPONENTS: Body frame (steel wire)Fabric body (tulle fabric, UV paint)Control Pole (aluminum fiberglass. extends to 9' long)Illuminated eyes Eyelid blinking mechanismLED electronics12V rechargeable battery pack (with charger fanny pack)Adjustable neck strapRepair Kit
- Prototype of the body torso
- Side view. Horizontal cardboard strips indicate placement of support steel wire
- Head Torso mock up to determine size placement of elements
- Welded Frame and Frame Brackets
- Side View: Welded steel wire frame with additional thin wire support later added with steel stick cold weld adhesive
- Notice the Frame Brackets welded on the side. These will be used to attach the eyelid mechanism to the frame
- Keeping it all Light
- View of eyes inside the frame with UV painted ultra lightweight tulle fabric covering the frame
- Front View: Note: To reduce weight, the lower ring of the frame was later removed
- Eyeballs
- The Eyeballs are plastic snow globes coated with Flexbond to diffuse the light. To control where light is emitted, the back of the eye has been painted with black acrylic paint.
- The cap of the snowglobe is bolted to the Base Plate
- Eyelids
- #6 Bolts secured with nut to go through Eye Yoke and Frame Bracket with a final nylon lock nut
- Lever rod that bolts into a series of extension pieces running parallel to the Control Pole and connecting to the Slide Control
- Connecting wire so Eyelids move in unison
- Central axel securing device.
- Based on the book by Chris Hadfield with Kate FillionAdapted for the stage by Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyreSet Costume Design by Anna TreuschProp Master Nina HarttPuppet Fabricator Sonja Rainey
- Eyelid Mechanism
- bracket at the back of each eyeballs connect the two together
- TOP VIEW
- Anna's drawings with important details: LookSizeMaterialsSpecial requirements
- Base Plate Control Pole
- All elements are bolted to theBase Plate with #6 bolts and 6-32 nylon lock nuts
- LED green lights for eyes. 1 ultra bright LED per eyeBlink will be mechanical. One handed control triggerExplore ways of reducing weight: pole framePaint treatment mimics motif in wallpaper
- LEDs in Eyeballs
- The eyeballs are lit with 3W Green star LED with heat sink. 3.8v 0.7amps, 530nm.
- Performer Craig Lauzon is seen here practicing with the puppet in rehearsal. Craig performs as the Dad character in the show.
- LED Electronics Diagram
- Repair kit includes: Electronics: pre-wired LEDs, spare resistorsHardware: #6 bolts, washers, 6-32 nuts nylock nuts, strain relief hardwareParaffin wax: for slide controlSpare eyeballs
- LED Electronics
- LEDs are wired in parallel.The resistors are in series. Each resistor is 10w and 12 ohms
- cable to LED eyes
- Mock up helps to do a few things: Quickly get a sense of size and shapeMake sure all the required elements will fit in this spaceMake a guide for the armature that will be used to bend the real steel wire
- Eyelid Control Slide
- EYELIDS CLOSED
- If control slide is sticking, apply paraffin wax generously along on underside and top side of slide
- Completed steel frame: Cold rolled steel wire was MIG welded together for the main frameAdditional thinner steel wires were attached for vertical reinforcement by wrapping and securing with steel stick adhesive
- Battery Options
- SMALL 12V and 5V BATTERY
- LARGE 12V, 9V and 5V BATTERY
- Ways to reduce weightRemoved lower section of the frame to lighten frame by 1/2Used aluminum instead of steel where possible. Control pole is aluminum fiberglass. Pole handle was shortenedUltra light tulle fabric
- Neck Strap
- Snow globe eyeballs sourced from Dollarama2 coats of Flexbond stippled on with a brush to diffuse light2 coats of black acrylic to make eyelid shape and prevents light leaks from LEDSpare pair of eyeballs have been provided with repair kit.
- Thank You!
- This has been such a cool project to build! I hope you've enjoyed this guide and it's helpful in the future. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!
- A wedge allows the eyeballs to angle outward and provides clearance for eyelid mechanism to rotate freely
- Eyelids are molded from Worbla reinforced around edge with armature wireHoles for bolts that work as axels are reinforced with embedded steel washersWorbla coated with Flexbond prior to painting with 2 coats of black acrylic paint
- FRONT VIEW
- Lever that controls eye blink mechanism
- Control Pole: extension paint pole with threaded end that connects to the Base Plate.
- Wires from LED eyes come through bottom of Base Plate and run down Control Pole
- Base of eyeball showing LED wires going through Base Plate. Each eyeball has 1 LED. The pair of eyeball LEDs are wired IN PARALLEL
- Click to Edit Description
- Resistors and circuit board sourced from CreatronElectronics box sourced from Home Hardware on College st. Electronics box should go in the fanny pack with the battery
- Strain relief hardware on wires. If electronics need servicing, loosen strain relief by unscrewing before disassembly
- 12V battery jack
- glow tape added for ease of slide control in the darkblock of paraffin wax included in the repair kitCheck slide and eye mechanism as part of pre-show
- EYELIDS OPEN
- LEFT: smaller RIGHT: larger heavier. Both fit in fanny pack Both Batteries provide 12V power option are rechargeable.Cable on electronics box goes into 12V inputBoth have ON/OFF switch for puppeteer
- NOTE: store strap in battery fanny pack when not in use
- Small loop slides on to bottom of Control Pole and rests just below the Slide Control
- Neck strap detaches easily
- Adjustable neck strap for Puppeteer. Put strap on first and then attach to the puppet.
- Sonja Rainey: Puppet Fabricator sonjacrainey@gmail.com1 647 782-2642
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