Ventriloquist Dummy Sculpture

Here is the latest update on my new character sculpture. I changed the eyes and upper lip, and added character lines to the face and forehead. There is still more smoothing and detail work to do before I will be ready to make a mold. I think I will call this guy Harvey. MontanaDan

Double Take

Ok, check this out. I took a picture of my newest character's clay sculpture and played around with it in Paint Shop Pro to see what he might look like finished. As you can see on the sculpture there are some areas below the eyebrows that protrude out. I was going for a somewhat baggy eye effect under the eye. While playing around with the picture I placed the eyes above and below this area, and what I realized was that it created a totally different looking character just by putting the eyes in a different position. Check out the pictures below using the identical clay sculpture and different eye position. Cool! MontanaDan

New Ventriloquist Figure

As it is with most things I do, it seems that I am never finished. I start on one thing and then another, and another, and the next thing you know I am working on something else. I find that my creative impulses take control and the next thing you know I am creating something new. Oh well, who knows where this will end up, but the good news is I have created another character. I still need to work on some details, and some finishing touches, but here are a couple of pictures, one of the clay sculpture, and the other, a paint shop pro picture of what this new guy may look like. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy For Sale

Another JellyBean Jack Ventriloquist Figure. This one with Blue Side to Side Moving Eyes, and Moving Mouth. JellyBean Jack is a Great Character, get one today. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Headstick

The headstick of a Ventriloquist dummy can be made of many different materials. I like the wooden headsticks myself. Many head sticks are fashioned out of doll rods and range from 3/4 of an inch up to 2 inches in Circumference.

The headstick itself is used to attach the control levers and operating controls for the eyes, mouth, eyebrows, and blinkers of the ventriloquist figure.

Depending on your preference, you can install these controls on the outside or the inside of the headstick. PVC pipe can also be used as a headstick, which is already hollowed out and comes in many different diameters. Inside the head a series of pulleys, springs and cords are attached to the jaw, eyes and eyebrows and run down through the neck to the headstick.

These controls once in place and attached are easily used to control the figures animations. A headstick can be created for both right or left handed persons, and with a variety of thumb and finger levers and controls.

I like to wrap my wooden headsticks in leather as a hand grip, and I use leather on the thumb lever as well. It gives a nice feel to the headstick and is also comfortable to use. MontanaDan

Puppets and Props

Hi Guys, Mike Brose at Puppets and Props has done it again! Mike has written a New Book on how to create Winkers/Blinkers for your Ventriloquist Dummy. Mike has a new 98 page ebook, available for immediate download, complete with pictures, diagrams, and detailed information on the subject. If this book is anything like his original book "Figure Making Can Be Fun", then I think that it will be a must have in your collection. A Big Round Of Applause for Mike Brose at Puppets and Props. Thanks Mike. MontanaDan

Get your copy by clicking on the link below.
Puppets and Props eBook

Ventriloquist Dummy "JellyBean Jack II"

This is a picture of the second JellyBean Jack Ventriloquist Figure I am working on. This one has Blue Eyes. I still need to paint the hair, put in the controls, and finish the headstick, but he is looking pretty sharp so far.
Stay Tuned, MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Figure For Sale!

Sold on eBay this New Ventriloquist Character JellyBean Jack. He has side to side moving eyes and moving mouth. JellyBean Jack comes dressed as pictured. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Figure "JellyBean Jack"

Here are two pictures of my New Ventriloquist Dummy "JellyBean Jack" He is just about ready to go on eBay, all he needs is a body, as this one was borrowed, from my Uncle Joe Character. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy

SOLD! A new Uncle Joe Ventriloquist Dummy. Dressed as pictured, moving Side to Side Eyes, and moving Mouth. Uncle Joe is quite a character, this one with blue eyes, and strawberry blond hair. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Eyes

JellyBean Jack now has eyes. What a difference it makes once you choose an eye color and install the eyes. That is when the puppet character starts to come to life. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummies

Here are some pictures of the two characters I am currently working on. Uncle Joe now has eyes, and is just about ready for a headstick. The new ventriloquist character JellyBean Jack now has a mouth and has been painted, the eyes are next. Stay Tuned. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Projects

I started working on the cast head of JellyBean Jack today. I cut out the eyes and jaw, and the trap door. Then I created a mouth piece, and did some work on the eyes. I will take some pictures this week and post on his progress. Meanwhile, I painted a new Uncle Joe character and did some work on his controls. I will be mounting the eyes next. Here are a few pics of him so far. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Figure "JellyBean Jack"

Today I made a silicone mold, a mother mold, and a couple of cast heads of my newest character JellyBean Jack. I am also working on a Butler character, and an Uncle Joe character. Looks like I will be quite busy for the next couple of weeks. Stay Tuned. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Travels

I finished with the Special Custom Order "AL" Uncle Joe Figure, and was getting ready to package him up for shipment tomorrow. I asked him to jump in the box to see if he would fit, as you can see he wasn't much help. I think he wanted to travel 1st. Class! Oh Well, at least his new owner will be Happy. MontanaDan

Custom Uncle Joe Dummy Video

Here is a short/silent video of a completed Custom Uncle Joe Ventriloquist Dummy. His new name is Al, and he will be heading for Kentucky on Tuesday. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy "Part Nine"

All in all, it has taken me about 60-70 hours so far to get these two dummys built. Mind you that those hours are spread out over several weeks, and months. I work on them some everyday. Some days two or three hours, other days six or seven hours. I all depends on what I can do each day. Waiting between coats of paint, and for Magic Sculpt to set up, causes some delays, but I stay pretty busy most of the time just tinkering around and coming up with ideas. Each part is usually made by hand, measured, cut and fabricated. I use brass tubing, brass rods, steel springs, pulleys, cord, wire, wood dowls, plastic tubing, magic sculpt, acrylic paints, glue, and various other items to bring these little guys to life.

I cast my own heads with Easy Flo 120, from a Silicone Mold which I make from my original clay sculptures. I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I have spent on the sculptures, but that is half the fun. I make alot of my own parts, but I also purchase dummy building parts from Puppets and Props, and from Braylu Creations. It is time consuming and costly for all the materials and parts needed to create a Professional Ventriloquist Dummy. All I can say is that it is a Great Hobby, and one that I really enjoy. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy

SOLD! on eBay is a MontanaDan Uncle Joe Ventriloquist Figure. This figure has side to side moving eyes, and moving mouth. He is dressed in Jeans, a light blue shirt, and tennis shoes. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Bodies

I put together both bodies today, and tried on some clothes. I still need to sand and paint the hands but besides that, these bodies are done. I will finish up these two little guys this weekend or early next week. Here are a couple more pictures of both figures. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy "Part Eight"

Today I installed the Headsticks, and finished all the controls on both of my projects. I installed the back of the head trap door to the standard figure. I still need to apply a final coat of paint and some details to the finished heads. The next thing to complete are the bodies. Those won't take to long, and I should have a couple of finished Ventriloquist Figures ready to go. The Custom Dummy is a special order, but the other little guy will be up for sale on eBay very soon.

Now lets see, Right Brow connected to the right spring, Left Brow connected to the left spring, both brows connected to the center spring, time to attach the cords. Sounds like a song to me. Connecting all the parts to the cords, alligning everything up, this one over that pulley, those two tied together, wires, pulleys, controls bars, springs, levers, tubes, I need a map! It is alot of work and time consuming, but the rewards are Great! I've finished the standard dummy head, and I have just about finished up the Custom Ventriloquist Dummy Character. I have re-done the eyebrows on this Custom head to give him a more concerned look like the original Uncle Joe, and re-did some painting. So far I am way ahead of schedule on both of these little guys. Tell next time. Montanadan

Ventriloquist Dummies

Here are some pictures of the two Uncle Joe Ventriloquist Dummy heads, side by side. The next thing to do is finish up the controls inside the heads and mount some headsticks, but first I have to put some headsticks together. Hmm, where did I put those parts? MontanaDan

Blinkers!

Here are a few pics of the eye blinkers I installed on the Custom Uncle Joe Ventriloquist Dummy head. Well what do you know, they work! Blink, Blink. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy "Part Seven"

Talk about FUN! I have been working on this Custom Uncle Joe Head for a customer. He wanted moving mouth, moving eyes, blinking eyes, and raising eyebrows. Now, sounds like no big deal until you try to get all of that inside a 2-T size head, and still be able to get your hands inside to work. Here are a couple of pictures of what the head looks like so far . Not much room in there for anything else. Now, to get it all hooked up! Can you spell Jigsaw Puzzle? MontanaDan

JellyBean Jack Ventriloquist Dummy

When I am in the process of creating a new character, I always take a few pictures of the clay sculpture to study. I like to update them in Paint Shop Pro to see what they might look like finished. Here is such a pic of JellyBean Jack. Actually I think he will turn out quite nice. Better hide the jellybeans! MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy Al

Here is a picture of the last Uncle Joe character I made sent in by the owner Mike Gooch. His name is now Al, and he is by the looks of it, enjoying his new life. MontanaDan

Ventriloquist Dummy "Part Six"

Today was prep and paint day. I started by sanding and filling in areas on the Ventriloquist Dummy heads, and then used Magic sculpt to affix the trap door portion of one on the heads. I then painted both jaw pieces and installed one into the standard head. The other jaw piece will be installed after I finish working on the eye controls inside the custom head. I also painted the moving eyebrows, on the Custom Dummy, and worked some more on the eye blinkers. Lots to do. MontanaDan