I’ve said this before. In fact… after stopping most of my puppetry work in 2012-2013 after having my daughter I have said this every couple of years since.
First, I decided to make a “Puppet-centric Dad Blog” without realizing the 1 small factor that I really hate the idea of being genre-trapped and my brain just naturally flows outside and around such containment. I’m just not a “dad blogger” or whatever it’s called nowadays. I do love the group on FB I’ve been in for years and love their work.
Second, I brought my old blue comedy puppet site back. Restored the old videos and turned them into modern social media content (that did not exist on it’s first turn around) and started pushing it to a world 10-12 years changed and removed. It took some traction at first but I lost the passion working on something I have to basically hide from child and family.
Third, I started doing 2D puppets which were a lot of fun but more time wasted than anything. Made a video to presumably use on my “Second” rebirths website, but never finished it because I just lacked motivation. That’s squarely on me.
Fourth, Turned the 2D idea into more of a thing with focus on two topics I’ve always had some interest in. Pro Wrestling and Dungeons & Dragons. Quickly realizing I’m going to spend hundreds of hours creating and designing things that I may or may not even want to be doing. BUT… here’s the kicker. Since I could share it with my kid, I did it for longer than I would have. We still have all the puppets and pieces and go back to them every so often.
Fifth, where we are today. I bought a new domain for my new project. Funny enough, I’ve learned so much more along the way over the past years that can help sharpen my puppet building skills. We have a 3D printer and use it pretty often here at the house and I have already started 3D modeling some new “eye”deas that I will print and there are a ton of eye mechs out there on the 3D sites like Thingieverse to print and play around with and inevitably then rebuild from scratch more to my liking and style.
This fifth incarnation is back to the original way. Foam, Fleece, Fur. The 3 F’s of puppet building. Not the 4 letter F that I commonly say far too often (Relapsed curse-a-holic here). I’m not worried about social media, although I have taken over other puppet-related profiles I had and converted them over the new name. Will I get to social? Eventually.
It’s not about looking for notoriety, or building a specific purpose built show.
I’m kicking this shit back to SQUARE FUCKING ONE. The day I ordered “The Foam Book” from the guys at Grey Seal Puppets back in the early 2000’s. To me that was when this all had magic for me. Mystery. Adventure. No purpose.
Just building what pops into my head.
I made a full hand and rod puppet with the kid once before, about 3-4 years ago. We named her Flower. I’m going to find her and put her on the table as a reminder of what this really was all about in the first place.
EDIT: I named the “new” site here but the truth is, I don’t need another site. So I changed it again and re-purposed some graphics I made for (and of) myself and the logo at the top is what you get. Steve’s Puppets, here, on my own website. No crazyness, reach me as always at @iamlichtman everywhere social media travels, and I hope you enjoy my own personal puppet renaissance.
