facial expresson puppets

Realistic puppet head of an old man, smiling, on a black background.

Recently, extensively experimenting and exploring with Japanese artist Taeko Yoshida unique techniques for facial expression animations in various silicone puppets.

Raw test footage of face expresson animation of a old man silicone puppet. Model and moulds by Gregor Lorenci, casting and animation by Gregor Lorenci and Taeko Yoshida.

Making of video. The video is being shown in Maribor Puppetry Museum, accompanying two silicone puppets I've made for the award-winning show 'FLESH OR REVELATION' at Puppet Theatre Maribor, 2010.

The head of the old man puppet is crafted from a variety of soft silicones and silicone gels. To control facial expressions, small custom-made silicone tubes act as muscles, connecting to specific areas for movement. These tubes house strings that are attached to both the silicone and a mechanism located behind the head. When the mechanism's parts are pulled by separate strings, various parts of the face can be manipulated. Inside the head, approximately 200 strings are responsible for controlling the movements of the face, eyes, and tongue.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, smiling with closed eyes, on a black background

Realistic puppet head of an old man, expressing disgust with closed eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, expressing surprise with open eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, expressing sadness, with closed eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, expressing big surprise, with closed eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, yelling, with closed eyes, on a black background.

Puppet made of wood, with silicone head with face expressons, manipulated by two actresess.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, sticking out his tongue, with closed eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, licking his upper left corner of mouth with tongue, with opened eyes, on a black background.

Realistic puppet head of an old man, sticking out his tongue to his right corner of mouth, with half-closed eyes, on a black background.

Puppet made of wood, with silicone head with face expressons, manipulated by two actresess.

Test video of the animation of two large silicone puppets inside clear containers filled with water, from the award-winning show 'Flesh or Revelation' at the Maribor Puppet Theatre."

Originally animated by Elena Volpi, Zvezdana Novaković, Aja Kobe and Andrej Vršič.

Two realistic puppet heads of old men with small bony tails instead of necks inside a clear container full of water are singing.

Two realistic puppet heads of old men with small bony tails instead of necks inside a clear container full of water are looking content.

Two realistic puppet heads of old men with small bony tails instead of necks inside a clear container full of water are sleeping.

Example of a hand-manipulated, large, stylized silicone face of Pinocchio from the award-winning show 'PINOCCHIO,' Puppet Theatre Maribor, 2007.
The eyes were equipped with powerful magnets within the pupils, allowing them to move freely within the liquid inside the eyes when controlled by the mechanism located behind the eyes.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, looking with an embarrassed expression on a black background.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, sporting a big smile, on a black background.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, expressing dissatisfaction, on a black background.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, surprised by his nose growing bigger, on a black background.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, nose growing bigger and bigger, on a black background.

Stylized face of Pinocchio puppet with a red cap and large eyes, with a very large nose, on a black background.

Example of Pinocchio as a marionette from the same show. Expressions were controlled by the strings, and eye movements were controlled by tilting the head of the marionette, thus moving the pupils suspended inside a liquid in the eyes.
Animated by Metka Jurc.

Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and embarrassed expression.

Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and cheerful expression.

Jumping Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and smiling expression.

Jumping Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and joyful expression.

Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and impatient expression.

Lying down Pinocchio marionette with a red cap and satisfied expression.

Example of a small glove puppet where facial expressions are manipulated by moving a hand wrist, and eyes by tilting the puppet sideways. Elf from 'THE POSTMANʼS TALE,' Puppet Theatre Ljubljana, 2006. Animated by Martina Maurič.

Example of a hand-controlled soft puppet with a silicone face, seamlessly blended onto a textile sheet for testing purposes in a theatre show.

Puppet with an open mouth and a visible tongue.

Example of a shadow puppet manipulated by strings from the show 'NIGHTHAWKS' at Maribor Puppet Theatre, with puppeteers Elena Volpi and Miha Bezeljak.

Example of a hand-controlled object puppet with a mechanism inside the head for controlling facial expressions, from the animation rehearsal of 'THE PLASTONIANS' show at Maribor Puppet Theatre.

Another example of a hand-controlled object puppet with a mechanism inside the head for controlling facial expressions, from the animation rehearsal of 'NIGHTHAWKS' show, Maribor Puppet Theatre. Animated by Elena Volpi and Miha Bezeljak

Copies of the original puppets from the 'Meat or Revelation' show are on display at the Ljubljana and Maribor puppet museums. In the Ljubljana museum, they are presented as interactive puppets that visitors can manipulate by pulling strings. In the Maribor museum, they are exhibited as animatronic puppets