Rankin-Bass Rudolph puppets - re-creations?

[AelithArt]

OK so my brother and I have been pretty interested in making our own little replicas that resemble the puppets in the Rudolph film, especially after 2020 and finding more information about the way they were made, which are basically covered by all of the posts in this forum thread.

Is there any information about the size of any other characters?
We know Rudolph (with the light-up nose) is about 5" inches tall, and I think Santa was said to be 9" tall?
I'd like to make a few other (reindeer) characters. Because they're just so cute and nostalgic.
So I've yoinked some screengrabs from the film on youtube and done simple very rough and lazy relative measurements of the characters based on the 5" Rudolph.
The mockup is very crude I'm tired from a long Christmas Day of socializing but also wanna get this jump started so it's a low energy low effort starting point hahaha. Can't be bothered for graphic design for my own silly projects.
View attachment 1773148
Obviously these heights are not particularly accurate since I'm just eyeballing things and know nothing about camera lenses and how they effect the perspective of scenes which impact the way you can measure things.

We plan on making sort of a"tutorial" as we make them to share after they are finished, that way others can make them too!
Here's my initial draft plans for making a similar Rudolph Replica.
It's VERY wiggly as I was using my brother's surface pro and I am not at ALL used to handling a surface, I use my Kamvas 13 pro normally.

Spoiler: Draft

Based on this photograph of the puppet and the diagram next to it.
View attachment 1773150View attachment 1773149

Spoiler: Draft

The book that people have mentioned here looks like it says the artists used 3mm wire and another size for the smaller parts like the mouth or so. I just wrote down floral wire as that's what I have on hand for my needle felting projects.
The neck was a type of foam I believe, but batting would probably work well.
The legs, depending on the scale will probably be better and more easily done with batting than foam, in my opinion.
You might not even need to fill them with anything more than a few tufts of polyfil, but that'd depend entirely on the thickness of the felt you use for the fur "skin". I am havign a hard time visualising the actual scale these are at, in my head they always seemed MUCH smaller somehow!

The "Wood" I figured we can 3D print for an easier time, as I do not have any experience with carving wood, and I am an illustrator and 3D artist so. I just would use what I know.
These would be less "Traditional" replicas and more displyable props done efficiently as we'd like to make several different characters and handle them often for fun. That also can make them more accesible since we could share the 3D model file so others can print it to jump start their own builds!
I still think it would be fun to have one made true to the original puppets sometime later.
But we can start with simpler ones for practice and if we like the result and feel inspired to go Full Fanmade Replica Mode then we can do that in the future.
If we wanna meet halfway, I suppose we could use a wood filament that uses recycled wood fibers. But we're not familiar with printing with that so it'll stick with PLA prints first hahaha.

My brother refined it based on screengrabs and less on photos of the restored puppet.
View attachment 1773152View attachment 1773153
I initially thought they had been needle felted, but you can definitely see the tension of sewing thread on the puppets in the film and photos of the restored Rudolph.

We'll be trying to compensate the thickness of 1-2mm felt for the base "wood" parts, and were discussing ways the wire may be attached for a sturdy-ish build.
Like using the wire as S-hooks in the hooves or just glueing it right in like "pinning" a figure.

The originals legs seemed to be quite fragile, and I figure a way to prevent that for fun christmas decoration posing would be to have 1 wire per 2 legs instead of 1 wire per leg.
Running the wire through the "wooden" part of the body. That way no ends really would break or pull out of the body easily.
The legs would mostly just be sewn, no 3D printing of a base form needed. And it'd likely be a pretty simple pattern to sew.

But anyways, I can share updates on our personal build as we slowly meander along with it between art commissions and such!
We'd like to make a pattern for sewing his fur together and stuff and share it along with the 3D print files so others can make their own reindeer more easily.
My brother will be doing most of the 3D printing end of things, so it'd be up to him if he wants to give the files away freely or not.


I personally want to make Fireball as he was my favorite, and make some bucks because they're so fun.
Hopefully between work and other projects we can get a few reindeer made up in time for Christmas next year.

IT WAS ME, BRO!!

I was thinking one wire per leg tbh.
(Hi pit!)
I’d be happy to share the files for free and even the pattern once we have them finalized!
Not against selling premade DIY kits but obviously we have to make Rudolph first. Do you think we should make ours 6” instead if 5”?

Tbh the toughest part will be figuring out how to do the electronics for the nose.

 

[Freedmeep1964]

I thought it was determined recently that the found/restored/displayed puppets turned out to be not screen used, that they were for publicity stills. I don't have a reference though.

Anyway, yeah I think the one on the right would be larger, due to the scaling thing I talked about. When he's with his parents, Santa, the Coach, etc, they would need a smaller puppet than in a shot all by himself or with Hermy.

The puppets used in the promotional photos aren't screen used except for Rudolph and most likely Yukon (possibly Hermey too). The Rudolph that was restored was a screen used puppet that was also used in the promotional photos. There were two Rudolphs. It wouldn't make sense to make a third one because for photos. Instead they grabbed one of the two. I'm almost 100% sure that's what happened.
Comparison:

When comparing the two, we can see a few key similarities. His right antler is slightly tilted, the edge of the hole where is nose is placed goes slightly outward in the exact same spot, and his head shape is the same. Also, when the puppet was getting restored, it was discovered that he had a flying rig on the side of his body. A hole that would be used to stick a kicksdtand when animating him. It will help support his weight when moving. I think this pretty much confirms that this restored puppet is one of the two screen used puppets.

As for what you said about the scale of the puppets and sets, I think it's important to remember that these sets weren't tiny and allowed for a lot of close up shots without interrupting the sets. I've studied the scenes a lot as I too want to be an animator someday. The only time they use different puppets is when Bumble is on screen with them. That's when they use miniatures. They didn't create larger puppets for up close shots of Rudolph and Hermey. That wouldn't really be a smart move as that would mean they would have to create entirely whole new upscaled sets to match the size of the characters. This would make the production of the film more lengthy. Also the Rudolph that you say is larger can be seen with the large character Yukon and Rudolph would still appear small. What you said is an interesting thought, but it's not likely to be the case.

Also the two Rudolph puppets are seen in close up shots with the same Hermey puppet. So this way we know that they are around the same in size.

 

[Freedmeep1964]

Do you think we should make ours 6” instead if 5”?

I think around the 6 inch mark is more accurate.

 

[Treadwell]

Thanks for the explanations and illustrations!
I guess when I saw different puppets being used, I wrongly assumed it was because of scaling. Otherwise, why make two? Unless you have two units going. But I accept that they did!

 

[Pit]

It looked like one of the Rudolph puppets had a nose that lit and the other one may not have lit? (Or at least some scenes it looks like it's just solid and not a light) I believe the bulbs would burn out, and also ran hot and could be hard on the felt around the light. So that could be a reason to use two, one could be in use while the other was getting the bulb replaced or otherwise repaired.

Anywho, here are some reference images from the film itself for various reindeer in case anyone might find them helpful.
I also had a small image of 3 Rudolph Puppets (The two Adolescent Rudolphs and Adult/Big Rudolph) I personally don't want to make little baby Rudolph as much as I want to make the other versions so I didn't grab any shots of him.

With the knowledge that the screen used Rudolph was 6" and not 5" (I read an article somewhere that casually mentioned he was 5" so that's where I got it from.) I'll make sure to scale things up for a 6" Adolescent Rudolph.

Spoiler: Big Rudolph

Spoiler: Adult Reindeer

Spoiler: Adolescent Reindeer

Spoiler: Clarice

 

[feek61]

It looks like to me there were 3 different ages of Rudolph puppets; a new born, an adolescent and an adult. So, were there multiples puppets for each age?

 

[Pit]

It looks like to me there were 3 different ages of Rudolph puppets; a new born, an adolescent and an adult. So, were there multiples puppets for each age?

Going solely by scrubbing through the movie, I believe for the most part there was only 1 puppet for adult Rudolph. (But I wasn't paying attention to any distance shots so it's very likely/possible that there is a smaller scale one for distance shots and when they're with Bumble!) I'll give the film a look through some time later maybe.

---

As for our replica adventures:
I've blocked out a quick 3D model to test with:
3D printed base for the internal parts
And a Sewing Base static model "figure" I can use to make a sewing pattern off of.

 

[vaderdarth]

Santa is 11" standing without his hat. Donner is about the same height as Santa not counting his antlers. I agree that adolescent Rudolph is 6". Clairise is 5" Of course all my measurements are using screen stills of characters standing side by side. The screen puppets reside in Japan. That Santa and Donner have been identified as the screen puppets based on the details they possess matched to the screen puppets. Notice Santa's beard is longer on the promotional puppet than on the Japanese puppet. From what I understand the full antlers ie Donner etc. were wire armatures dipped in black plasti-dip and hung to dry. I'm going to be making some puppets soon. I will be using various wooden eggs in various sizes for the reindeer heads and the rest from just blocks of wood I cut with the scroll saw and sanded to shape. I plan on drilling a pilot hole in the center tip of the egg to the base, another hole at the neck to connect for nose wiring and neck. But I think I'll put the egg on my wood lathe and shape the snout that way. Then hand carve the eye sockets with a Dremel. I'll use a cutoff wheel to remove the lower jaw section. Most folks do not make the neck long enough on the deer. I am guilty of that myself. Keep the torso thinner than you think because the wool felt adds bulk. use thin foam domes for the shoulders and hips because it will make your deer have fat hips.....make the legs separately and fix to the torso with epoxy on the wire into the hole in the torso. once it's dry, use a needle and thread to sew the leg felt to the body. You'll be tempted to add the white belly felt over the brown, but keep it as a single layer of felt in that area or it looks weird. If you shape your LED to be a round bulb shape, use gloss red paint (not transparent) to paint over the bulb. It will look more like the screen one than a normal RED LED color. And because it's a thin layer the LED will shine right through. The other way I've thought of on the bulb is to make a silicon mold of a bead the exact size you need except add a stem to it with epoxy putty. once the mold is set, pull it out and pour up some clear or transparent red acrylic in the mold and put your LED in the wet acrylic and let it set up. Then you can pull out your perfect nose LED. Just paint it red and attach to your deer. Antlers for Rudolph adolescent can also be made with wire and epoxy putty Or just use wood dowels in that diameter and sand them to shape and glue a wire in them. I made the hooves the same way with epoxy, but it was tedious. This time its dowels cut to shape and glued to the leg wires. Once you make your hooves, cut your white felt to go around the hoof. cover the top of the white with the leg brown felt and your hoof will look exactly like the screen hooves. Keep the lower part of the legs skinny. Most replica legs look chunky. it's all about the thickness of that wool felt. Don't forget to drill holes in the back of the hooves for a straight pin to go thru. This is how the puppets were attached to the scenery. They used pins with a small black ball on the end on screen. On the ears, tail, large antlers and lower jaws, use a U-shaped wire to hold the shape of the jaw, make it longer than you need so that during assembly, you can twist the two ends together where it attaches to the head or rump. This also makes it stronger. They used ping pong balls for the white of the eye. they say the pupils were thin leather, but it's easier to paint another piece of ping pong ball black and attach that to the white. It's the same contour as the white so it fits on there better.

 

[vaderdarth]

Going solely by scrubbing through the movie, I believe for the most part there was only 1 puppet for adult Rudolph. (But I wasn't paying attention to any distance shots so it's very likely/possible that there is a smaller scale one for distance shots and when they're with Bumble!) I'll give the film a look through some time later maybe.

---

As for our replica adventures:
I've blocked out a quick 3D model to test with:
3D printed base for the internal parts
And a Sewing Base static model "figure" I can use to make a sewing pattern off of.

View attachment 1773862View attachment 1773863

your hooves should be cylinders. The white felt goes around half of it, then the brown overlaps the white at the top and that's what gives the ankles their contour. Trial and error discovery. Also make a depression in the head about 1/2 mm deep that is larger than the white of the eye. The brown felt goes down into that depression and the white goes over that in the depression. Makes it look like his eye is in his head and not on his head. Also trial and error. I love your idea of a 3D print for the head and torso however!!! brilliant.

 

[Pit]

your hooves should be cylinders. The white felt goes around half of it, then the brown overlaps the white at the top and that's what gives the ankles their contour. Trial and error discovery. Also make a depression in the head about 1/2 mm deep that is larger than the white of the eye. The brown felt goes down into that depression and the white goes over that in the depression. Makes it look like his eye is in his head and not on his head. Also trial and error. I love your idea of a 3D print for the head and torso however!!! brilliant.

OH I didn't even THINK about sinking the eye sockets. Thanks for bringing that up!
I assumed I might be able to use something thin enough to put on top of the felt but not sure. If you use felt it'll defintely bulge the eyes. Otherwise you could leave an eye hole in the felt to set a small sclera piece into.

And looking at the screenshots alongside your comment to make the hooves more oval shaped checks out. They do look thinner from the front view on that scene with rudolph flying. I just got so used to seeing those clonkers from the side I wanted to make them wide and clonky from the front view too!

---

For now here's my rough base for patterning the "pelt". I left the legs on the model on so I can get a good feel for where they'll be placed in relation to the pattern, and it helps me find the tummy section for the white fur so I don't make it too wide and go up his sides too high.
Since I already printed a set of clonker hooves, I can just make this a random original reindeer and not Rudolph, since their faces vary a bit, a hoof variation won't be too bad. Little background deer for future Rudolph then. Or even repurpose the wide hooves into horse hooves and make a horse head for it later. Why not? I don't want to waste plastic to go into a landfill!

 

[AelithArt]

OH I didn't even THINK about sinking the eye sockets. Thanks for bringing that up!
I assumed I might be able to use something thin enough to put on top of the felt but not sure. If you use felt it'll defintely bulge the eyes. Otherwise you could leave an eye hole in the felt to set a small sclera piece into.

And looking at the screenshots alongside your comment to make the hooves more oval shaped checks out. They do look thinner from the front view on that scene with rudolph flying. I just got so used to seeing those clonkers from the side I wanted to make them wide and clonky from the front view too!

---

For now here's my rough base for patterning the "pelt". I left the legs on the model on so I can get a good feel for where they'll be placed in relation to the pattern, and it helps me find the tummy section for the white fur so I don't make it too wide and go up his sides too high.
Since I already printed a set of clonker hooves, I can just make this a random original reindeer and not Rudolph, since their faces vary a bit, a hoof variation won't be too bad. Little background deer for future Rudolph then. Or even repurpose the wide hooves into horse hooves and make a horse head for it later. Why not? I don't want to waste plastic to go into a landfill!

View attachment 1774365View attachment 1774366View attachment 1774367

We Def. Need to sink the eye sockets and push the eye out in out new prototype I think Rudy also needs a lil more booty, and the horns should be sculpted into the head as well.

We've been patterning and testing, and while we whipped up a Rudolph, we FINALLY found some awesome references on page 20! With it, I've been able to get a WAY Better idea of how the head patterning works! In hindsight, this is OBVIOUS. This head follows a similar simple pattern as a lot of vintage toys from japan made from felt in the 60s-70s had to begin with. I'm assuming the head follows a pattern that is vaguely something like this (Artistic rendering below, dont try to use the pattern, it wont line up), what I'm unsure about is if the head back piece swings to under the chin, or if the side pieces connect under the chin. I'm guessing the latter as it's one less seam the camera's have to worry about. Though if anyone has a shot of Rudolph or any deer from below, please hmu!

Below is our "Dummy" Rudolph, we worked on today to test the pattern. The pattern needs a LOT of revisions, and simplifications. I come from a plush toy making background, and added a few too many darts and too much seam allowance making his legs too thick.

 

[AelithArt]

We Def. Need to sink the eye sockets and push the eye out in out new prototype I think Rudy also needs a lil more booty, and the horns should be sculpted into the head as well.

We've been patterning and testing, and while we whipped up a Rudolph, we FINALLY found some awesome references on page 20! With it, I've been able to get a WAY Better idea of how the head patterning works! In hindsight, this is OBVIOUS. This head follows a similar simple pattern as a lot of vintage toys from japan made from felt in the 60s-70s had to begin with. I'm assuming the head follows a pattern that is vaguely something like this (Artistic rendering below, dont try to use the pattern, it wont line up), what I'm unsure about is if the head back piece swings to under the chin, or if the side pieces connect under the chin. I'm guessing the latter as it's one less seam the camera's have to worry about. Though if anyone has a shot of Rudolph or any deer from below, please hmu!

View attachment 1774840
Below is our "Dummy" Rudolph, we worked on today to test the pattern. The pattern needs a LOT of revisions, and simplifications. I come from a plush toy making background, and added a few too many darts and too much seam allowance making his legs too thick.
View attachment 1774841

For anyone interested, the revised head pattern turned out like this:

I need to redo the eye shape and make it have a sharper point as well as puff out even further off of the head.
Looking at the photos, Rudolph's eyes are sculpted with his head from wood and painted, the edges of the eyes look to be painted/colored black with a felt tip marker as well! You can just barely see the felt lifting up at the top of his eye. The fur was likely applied on with the same kind of yellowing glue they used to slick Santa's beard after being sewn. (I would guess a craft or tacky glue.?)
The "fur" felt was also applied on top of the leather/vinyl they used for Rudolph's mouth.

 

[vaderdarth]

looking so good