The White Rabbit

Personal Project / Independent Study

This is a hand rod puppet I built from open cell foam. It is based off of The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This was my project for a puppet-making independent study.

He is made from 1/2” open cell foam and puppet fleece, with ears made from foss-shape and millinery wire, and eyes made from styrofoam balls cut in half and painted. The clothing was all draped on the body after it was built, and stitched.

I started the planning process with a to-life sized sketch, and started the foam patterning process with a clay sculpt.

I started the planning process with a to-life sized sketch, and started the foam patterning process with a clay sculpt.

The ears were flat patterned and altered until they looked right. I bent wire frames for the soon-to-be foss-shape ears from millinery wire.

The ears were flat patterned and altered until they looked right. I bent wire frames for the soon-to-be foss-shape ears from millinery wire.

I made a mouthplate from 1/8" birch plywood, gaff tape, contact cement, felt, and leather strips.

I made a mouthplate from 1/8" birch plywood, gaff tape, contact cement, felt, and leather strips.

I patterned the head from the sculpt, and a basic body shape which I then heavily altered once it was in foam -- adding darts and such until the size was right.

I patterned the head from the sculpt, and a basic body shape which I then heavily altered once it was in foam -- adding darts and such until the size was right.

I attached the foam head to the mouth plate with contact cement, and checked the fit on my hand.

I attached the foam head to the mouth plate with contact cement, and checked the fit on my hand.

I shaped the ears from foss-shape, then wire stitched the wire frame on. I covered them in puppet fleece and felt. I also covered the head in felt, and added another shape to define the nose.

I shaped the ears from foss-shape, then wire stitched the wire frame on. I covered them in puppet fleece and felt. I also covered the head in felt, and added another shape to define the nose.

Once I covered the body as well I hung it up and draped on it as if it were a dress form to make the patterns for his clothes.

Once I covered the body as well I hung it up and draped on it as if it were a dress form to make the patterns for his clothes.

I added eyelids to hold the eyes, eyebrows, the ears, and a neck sleeve to the head.

I added eyelids to hold the eyes, eyebrows, the ears, and a neck sleeve to the head.

The body features a false waistcoat, false sleeve cuffs and jabot, a cravat, and a tailcoat. There are false coats on the waistcoat and the tailcoat, and it holds his watch.

The body features a false waistcoat, false sleeve cuffs and jabot, a cravat, and a tailcoat. There are false coats on the waistcoat and the tailcoat, and it holds his watch.

The White Rabbit functions as any other hand-rod puppet, fitting small to medium hands.

The White Rabbit functions as any other hand-rod puppet, fitting small to medium hands.