continued from previous page Paddle Control Dimensions And Stringing If you would like to try the paddle


control, here are few dimensions to use as a guide: Marionettes 18–22 inches (46–56 cm) tall: paddle 7 inches (17.75 cm) wide by 8 inches (20.5 cm) long, ¼-inch (6-mm) plywood Marionettes 24–28 inches (61–71 cm) tall: paddle 8 inches (20.5 cm) wide by 10 inches (25.5 cm) long, ¼-inch (6-mm) plywood Marionettes 30–34 inches (76– 86 cm) tall: paddle 9 inches (23 cm)


wide by 12 inches (30.5 cm) long, 3


/8


-inch (9.5-mm) plywood The paddle may be any shape—


circle, oval, diamond, or square— whatever works best with your string configuration. Remember that sharp corners can snag strings. As a general rule, the widest section of the paddle will have the head strings and the hanging wire (I use electrical wire with solid copper core). I recommend a separate leg bar (8.25 inches or 21 cm long) with Velcro attachment. It is possible to incorporate a rocking leg bar on the front of the control or internally within an open slot. This rocking leg bar is usually worked with the thumb or pointer finger. Elbow strings are optional, but they are attached to a toggle that hangs on the right or left side of the center handle (for right- or left-handed puppeteers). The toggle length is determined by the distance between the shoulder and elbow of the marionette. The toggle is engaged with the last two fingers of the hand on the handle. I like to use a single shoulder string attached between shoulder blades of the puppet, a short distance down the back. This string is tied to the control a short way back on the handle, where pressure can be applied by one or several fingers of the hand holding the handle. This action takes the weight of the figure off the head strings and allows the head to twist side to side by a horizontal tilt of the paddle. The hands are on a “run-through” string,


24


meaning that one string goes from one hand through two holes in the control and back down to the other hand. The holes are drilled larger than the ones used to attach strings to the control, and these larger holes have their edges softened with a round file or fine sandpaper, so there is less friction as the string is pulled through the holes during manipulation.


STRINGS The strings I use are black braided Nylon or Dacron fish line of 20 lb test average weight. This string is strong and resists fraying, but it will untie itself during use. I always tie four knots and apply a small amount of Duco Cement to prevent slippage. Duco works best because it can be chipped away with fingernails if you have that special need to untie and adjust the string tension.


This brings up the topic


of string adjustment. When stringing a new marionette, use temporary knots that can be easily undone until you find the perfect balance of string tensions during rehearsal. At that point, finalize all knots with the glue, leaving a tail of 1.5 inches at the control. Some puppeteers like to create adjustable attachments using multiple slots or pegs on their control. This is usually unnecessary (except for specialized TV or film work where puppeteers must manipulate from different height bridges). Once you have found that perfect balance in a marionette,


Diagram of paddle control with basic stringing.


Basic paddle control with strings.


there should be no need to adjust strings. You will have to replace strings, but that is done quicker by just cutting them from control and puppet. Extra slots and pegs on the control offer more potential spots for tangles during a performance.


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