HOLLY GRACE DESIGN

Wooden Swallow Puppet 

This small scale Swallow puppet is carved from lime wood using a selection of chisels  and whittling knives. I am new to wood carving so there are some small areas that, if I were to start the project again, I would be keen to perfect. After carving the body, tail and wings separately I stained them using wood dyes, building up darker colours where needed, for example in the shadows of the carved feathers. Once dry, I sanded the surface lightly using a fine grit wet and dry paper to bring out the texture of the carving. To finish I dry brushed white paint to add highlights to define smaller details and brighter areas. Assembling the puppet was the most complicated part for me as I wanted to ensure there was a full range of motion for the wings. The tail and wings both articulate using different methods. 

This project was completed using a kit and online resource created and designed by puppet maker Sarah vigars.