#shadow puppetry

[thepastisalreadywritten]

How to make shadow puppets in a 1930 article from Modern Mechanix. 👐

[tierracottas]

chinese shadow puppetry

[allsystemsblue]

Through the teeth and in the mouth awaits a swirl of shadow and a dark tale that wishes to be told.

[Oh! I’ll be selling some of these toothy shadow screens soon! 🦷 Right now I’m making my schedule for expos and markets I’ll be selling at for next year. The dates will be up on IG.]

[mindofasnail]

collected notes from Dec 3rd, 2023 Shadowjam at Hypha Arts

themes: forces of nature, FUNd art not war, intergenerational starry hippos, whimsical whistleblowers, among other things...

sip sip stormy lightning

PLACENTAPEDE!

the mean king/the mute king/the four horned king

inside the mind face of the silent king

bow down, bow wow wow

marty macdonald brow was very hungry

angry meal

the avatar

weird blue haired one

i need to feel electricity

hold my hand

viewing window in the hill of gestation

twins for sale

the twins had no names, they were offended

"be careful who you tell our name to"

commerce was the midwife

dna evolution

THE BIRTH OF MODERNITY

PUT IT BACK!!!

build it up

cluttered modernity

pandoras stinky socks

day night day night day night

rapid flooding water rising falling

the falling person in the swirl

PROTOPLASTIC/PROTOPLASMIC PEOPLE!

lightbulb bird

flyby angel

alligator zipping through

tickle my ears

pointed teeth

perforate the paper of the pulp and paper planet

you can't force the sun out of the sky

ghost conference

in hindsight the afterlife was not what i expected

[heaven-is-in-your-arms-series]

Nang Yai - The Art of Shadow Puppets

Nang means leather and refers to the material the puppets are made from.

Nang Yai means Large Shadow Puppets

And

Nang Talung means Small Shadow Puppets.

Traditionally retelling scenes from the Ramakien, it is thought that Nang Yai influenced the development of the masked dance drama form Khon.

[sheltiechicago]

A visual trip to Kerala's culture

A series of traditional, religious and cultural events in the Indian state of Kerala, ranging from Theyyam ritual for becoming a God, preparations for a Kathakali performance and ancient shadow puppetry to the grand Pooram festival in Thrissur to the self-mutilating Oracles of Kodungallur Bharani.

Photographer: Athanasios Maloukos

IPA 2021

[fayzart136]

This is not for you.

[questioningyourfate]

What You Do In the Shadows (Stays In the Shadows)

Hi, everyone. Fate again to celebrate two traditions of yours taking place early in the fifth month of some of your calendars, one about movies and one about independence. And as much as I love embracing new technology and ideas and all that, right now I’m indulging in a secret desire of mine to declare independence from the demands of being on camera by going back to the highest form of moving art there is: shadow puppetry.

Fate,

I didn’t want to be That Guy. You know, the Nice Guy. The guy who’s always going around kvetching about the Friend Zone. I have really, really great friends of all genders, and my best friend is not the same gender I am. And while I think we’d be great together romantically, we’re also great together platonically, and I’m totally cool with that!

Or at least, I was. On their birthday, we drank a little too much, and normal back-and-forth turned kinda flirty. I didn’t actually say anything then, because I didn’t want it to be brushed off as us just being under the influence, but I started wondering what if? What if they’ve been feeling the same way I have but have been putting a lid on it because they’re afraid of ruining the friendship?

The moment I decided it was time to make my move was when I got two coupons for our shared favorite taqueria in the mail. They live pretty close by, so I put the coupons in my pocket, stopped by our local liquor store to pick up a bottle of tequila, and went over to their apartment to ask them on a DATE-date. 

I don’t know how long I spent staring at their door before I finally raised my hand to knock. I also don’t know how much longer it was between the last knock and when they finally answered. I do know they seemed just as taken aback as I was: disheveled, clothes looked like they were thrown on carelessly, not exactly the most welcoming look on their face.

“I can come back later,” I said, and they smiled for the first time and whispered “thanks” before shutting the door…but not before I heard a guy’s voice coming from the direction of the bedroom saying, “Who is it?”

I’ll admit I snapped a little. I went to the occult shop on the way home. Once I was back at my place, I wasted no time in setting it all up: the candles, the book, the goat’s-blood pentagram. Security deposit be damned, I thought as I chanted the invocation. “Bring me that which is nearest and dearest to my heart!” I proclaimed to finish out the spell.

I knew the security deposit was as damned as I was when the floor burst into flames in front of me. But it would all be worth it, I figured as I beheld the glowing eyes and scaly wings in its midst. And when it leaned forward to deposit the bundle it held in its arms at my feet, I knew I would open the unusually small package up (my best friend is something like 4’10” on a good day, but…) and find…tacos?!

I don’t mean to complain, but an explanation would be very, well, nice.

You put those taco coupons in your left breast pocket, didn’t you. 

Demons, genies, Fae, computers, and all else who work in the shadows have to be exactingly literal in how they parse and fulfill requests, and even though there are good reasons for doing so, it’s always a thankless task with the recipients of their poorly articulated desires claiming they were “misunderstood.” Please tell me you at least invited the delivery agent to share dinner and drinks with you for their trouble? You never know who your real forever dining companion might be unless you take a chance and let tequila loosen your tongue…

…oh, I used to know how to make a tongue!

There’s the tongue…

…well. I’m supposed to be representing the tequila loosening YOUR tongue before the moment passes.

Video/audio

[rowdy-rumble]

!

Made this little shadow heartless puppet recently

[hatgame]

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday

The Little Book of Hand Shadows 

“Discover the timeless magic of hand shadows through this charming volume” - Dust Jacket 

This little pocket-sized book, created and drawn by Phila H. Webb with verses by Jane Corby, is reprinted and adapted from the original “Shadowgraphs Anyone Can Make” from 1927. With the help of a bright light, a blank wall (or sheet as the book suggests), and two hands, various characters and creatures can be projected, solidifying the simple entertainment and joy of shadow puppetry.  

According to Phila, some of the poses may take more practice to perfect, but there is “nothing hard about any of them”. To test this, I had a self-proclaimed shadow puppet enthusiast try out some of the poses, following the instructions from the text. How do you think they did?  

-Kaylee S., Olson Graduate Assistant

-Sarah D.., Illustrious Hand Model

[post-hummus]

Mollabaji & Moo Mama shadow puppets: Back Stage + On Stage.

The Moonlit Princess. ๋࣭ ⭑☽︎⋆｡˚ Rec Room Arts, HTX

[allsystemsblue]

A fail, but not exactly.

I love the first stages of a project, it’s when you figure out if something is going to work. Does it need tweaking? Does it need more? Less? Should it have been birthed at all? Or should it have stayed in the dark void of back rooms in your skull?

To answer truthfully for this scenario, yes. And no. So although I’ll be destroying every shadow puppet you see here, my idea on how to set the scene up with the right amount of light and funny little textures that will work only in shadow land, well, it was worth all my annoyances. Sure I wasted a few good hours on cutting and painting these poor souls from paper. But the knowledge I received about creating a dreary atmosphere? Priceless. Oh these life lessons puppets can teach. Cause patience is truly golden. That being said, back to the drawing board! Literally. Round two of creating this coming right up!

[mindofasnail]

[world-of-puppets]

Excerpt from Puppets and Puppetry by Peter Fraser, 1980

[postcard-from-the-past]

Shadow puppetry: rabbit

French vintage postcard, staged and photographed by A. Bergeret, mailed in 1904