Types of Puppets

SO LET’S START

Finger Puppets

You probably have a good idea of what they are: yes, they’re simple, mostly easy to make, and from my perspective, one of the most natural tools for storytelling. Finger puppets are extensions of everyday hand gestures that we use to communicate—whether it’s showing peace, anger, or any number of emotions. Performers like Barnaby Dixon have indeed elevated finger puppetry into a fine art, creating complex, directly operated puppets that bring intricate stories to life through precise, detailed movements.

Even the simplest use of painted or decorated fingers can convey a complete narrative. So don’t be mistaken—finger puppets aren’t just for children! They can be used in both playful and sophisticated storytelling contexts, ranging from educational performances to more artistic and experimental forms of puppetry.

Characteristics:

Finger puppets are directly operated, with limited movement and expressions compared to larger puppets. However, their simplicity and portability make them versatile and accessible. Whether used in classrooms, theaters, or for personal storytelling, they remain a powerful medium for expression.

Hand Puppets

Also known as glove puppets, hand puppets are among the simplest types of puppets to make and have been historically popular in street theater, especially in medieval and later periods. One of the most famous examples is Pulcinella from Italian Commedia dell’Arte, as well as Punch and Judy, a beloved puppet duo known in Great Britain.

Hand puppets are directly operated by the puppeteer’s hand inside the puppet, which gives them a limited range of movements and expressions compared to more complex puppet types. However, they are easy to make, lightweight, and highly portable, making them ideal for fast-paced, dynamic performances. Their simplicity allows for quick, exaggerated movements, making them perfect for action scenes such as fights or other fast-moving sequences.

Rod puppets also called Javanese Puppets (Wayang Golek)

Rod puppets, also known as Javanese puppets or Wayang Golek, are the first in our collection to be operated by a control device, rather than directly by the puppeteer’s body. As the name suggests, these puppets are primarily operated using rods or sticks. One rod is attached to the head (sometimes equipped with additional controls for movements like head tilting or closing the eyes). Two additional rods control the hands (and sometimes the legs), allowing for more intricate movements. 

Wayang Golek puppets originate from Java, Indonesia, and are used to tell stories from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. These performances can last for hours, sometimes even up to 8 hours or more, and they attract large audiences due to their cultural and religious significance.

From a technical standpoint, one of the most advanced uses of rod puppets was developed by the famous Russian puppeteer Sergey Obraztsov. His theater in Russia is renowned for pushing the boundaries of puppetry, with incredibly detailed and complex performances. As is often the case in Russia, the scale could be epic, and Obraztsov’s productions sometimes involved entire caravans of equipment, touring across Europe and Asia.

The main advantage of rod puppets, compared to hand puppets, is the ability to make them larger and involve multiple puppeteers in their operation, which offers greater comfort since puppeteers don’t need to hold their hands above their shoulders as in hand puppetry. Although rod puppets may appear slower in motion due to the use of rods, they are capable of very dynamic movements when skillfully operated.

Mannequin Puppets

Mannequin puppets can be life-sized, half-sized, or double-sized, but what defines them most is that they are often directly connected to or supported by the puppeteer’s body. This connection allows the puppeteer to carry and manipulate them with ease. As these puppets closely mimic human body movements, they are often very lifelike in appearance and motion.

They belong to the family of directly operated puppets (also known as body puppets), where many movements are derived from the puppeteer’s own body movements, while other actions may be controlled by additional mechanisms or rods. These puppets are particularly popular in live performances, especially in theater and street shows.

Mannequin puppets are generally more difficult to make than other types of puppets, largely due to their size, complexity, and the level of detail required to create their lifelike appearance and functionality. Consequently, they are considerably more expensive to produce.

Bunraku Puppets

Bunraku puppets from Japan have been a significant source of inspiration for many other types of puppetry, but comparing them to mannequin puppets, muppets, and ventriloquist puppets may not be entirely accurate, as these other forms have different origins and techniques. Bunraku is a traditional form of Japanese puppet theater, and what defines it most is its strict adherence to tradition in craftsmanship, character design, style of performance, and storytelling. Bunraku puppets are operated by three puppeteers: the main puppeteer, the Omozukai, who controls the head and right arm; the second puppeteer, who controls the left arm; and the third puppeteer, who operates the feet. It takes 20 to 30 years of rigorous training to become the Omozukai.

In Bunraku, the puppeteers traditionally wear black robes and hoods to make themselves “invisible” to the audience, a practice that emphasizes the focus on the puppet rather than the performer. However, the main puppeteer, the Omozukai, often appears with an uncovered face to show their mastery, especially in more contemporary performances.

Bunraku puppets are part of the family of directly operated puppets, where the puppeteers’ body movements are crucial to the puppet’s motion. They are large, intricate, and require exceptional skill to operate. Due to their detailed construction and the materials used, Bunraku puppets are indeed very expensive to make.

Marionettes (String Puppets)

String puppets, known as marionettes, are my area of expertise, and I could talk about them for hours. Briefly, they are operated almost entirely from above using strings, or a combination of a rod and strings. A key characteristic of their movement is influenced by the fact that their center of gravity is suspended, which creates a unique, often ethereal movement style. While it’s not so much that their gravity is directed “upward,” their movement is counter to the weight we associate with human gravity, giving them a floaty, delicate feel. This distinction is central to the philosophy of operating marionettes.

Marionettes most likely originated in Italy or France (the term “marionette” comes from the French word referring to “little Mary,” often associated with religious plays featuring the Virgin Mary). They have been widely used for street performances and theater plays. In theater, marionettes are often employed using the technique of illusionary window theater (a Baroque-era theatrical principle), where puppeteers are hidden from view while a brightly lit stage immerses the audience in the story.

Because they are controlled by strings, marionettes are considered non-directly operated puppets. Their movements usually lag slightly behind the puppeteer’s actions, giving them a distinctive, slightly “gummy” or delayed motion. They are among the most challenging puppets to manipulate, which makes it a true pleasure to watch skilled puppeteers in action. Marionettes are also complex to construct at a professional level and are considered moderately expensive due to the intricacy of their design and mechanisms.

Ventriloquist Puppets

Ventriloquism is incredibly fun! The modern center of ventriloquism is often considered to be the U.S., where the art form has flourished, reflecting both positive and negative aspects of American entertainment culture. U.S. ventriloquism frequently takes on a “one-person show” format, with a high level of professionalism and polished performance. The typical format of a ventriloquist act involves a humorous or dynamic conversation between the puppet, the puppeteer, and the audience. 

From a construction standpoint, ventriloquist puppets (often called vent figures) range from simple designs, where the hand operates the head (similar to glove or hand puppets), to highly complex figures with mechanical features that control eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, ears, noses, and lips. A great example of simpler puppetry construction would be the Muppets, created by Jim Henson, though these are technically not ventriloquist puppets but hand puppets. More complex vent figures, such as those used by ventriloquists like Jeff Dunham, are appreciated by a dedicated base of fans who admire the intricate mechanisms behind their operation—fans like myself!

Stop Motion Puppets

What can be said about stop-motion puppets? First, they are widely used in the film industry, especially for animated films and special effects. Second, they are extremely time-consuming to animate. Typically, stop-motion animation is done frame by frame at 24 frames per second, which means you need 24 individual images for every second of footage. However, some animators may animate on “twos” (12 unique movements per second) to reduce the workload. You can imagine how many frames it takes to animate something as small as a blink of an eye. Third, with stop-motion puppets, you can achieve incredibly lifelike movements, although there are some limitations depending on the materials used and the complexity of the puppet.

Stop-motion puppets are usually built with an armature, a skeleton typically made of steel with brass joints. Today, 3D printing is often used to create faces with interchangeable expressions, but this is only one of many techniques used in stop-motion animation. In fact, any material can be animated, whether it’s clay, fabric, or everyday objects. A great example of creative stop-motion animation can be seen in the work of renowned Czech animator and artist Jan Švankmajer, who often animates objects and materials other than traditional puppets.

Giant Puppets

Giant puppets are massive, often larger-than-life figures used in outdoor performances, parades, and festivals. These puppets can reach towering heights and are typically operated by multiple puppeteers working together to control different parts of the puppet’s body, such as the head, arms, and legs. One famous example is Royal de Luxe, a French company known for its stunning giant puppet performances. Giant puppets are particularly effective in creating a spectacle and captivating large audiences due to their immense scale and the dramatic impact they make.

These puppets are directly operated, often using a system of poles, ropes, and mechanical devices to animate them. Despite their size, they can be surprisingly expressive, with movements carefully choreographed to give them lifelike gestures. The sheer complexity of creating and manipulating giant puppets makes them expensive and challenging to operate, but their ability to tell grand stories in public spaces makes them a powerful tool for both artistic and community-driven events.

Shadow Puppets

Shadow puppetry is one of the oldest forms of puppetry, with origins tracing back to ancient China, India, and Southeast Asia. In this art form, flat, often intricately designed puppets are placed between a light source and a screen, casting shadows that create a moving picture. The puppeteers operate the puppets using rods, with the audience watching the shadows rather than the puppets themselves. Famous traditions include Wayang Kulit in Indonesia and Chinese shadow theater. I would also include in this category those who use their fingers to create impressive shadow figures.

Shadow puppets are indirectly operated, as the puppeteer manipulates them from behind the screen, out of the audience’s view. While shadow puppets are limited in physical movement compared to other puppetry forms, the creative use of light, color, and layered imagery allows for highly imaginative and symbolic storytelling. Shadow puppetry’s ability to convey deep cultural, spiritual, and mythical stories in a visually captivating way makes it a versatile and timeless art form, adaptable to both traditional and modern narratives.

I hope you’ve reached this point and have gained more insight. As you can see, puppetry is a profound and always original form of communication and expression. As I consider what to write about next, I suggest you choose from two topics.

Topic one:  Puppetry and therapy

Topic two: Movements with puppets and what they say