ecl's Kermit the Frog Puppet Replica (later builds, using my newest patterns)

[Blitzkreig]

Thanks. There really was quite a few different Kermit's built. The head and lips have many nuances on each. Like the look of The Muppet Movie Kermit and are gonna shoot for that one. Printing out the head now but I didn't see any dimensions for it. Could you give me a neck size or mouth width please?
Thanks again
Chad

 

[NR16020]

Thanks. There really was quite a few different Kermit's built. The head and lips have many nuances on each. Like the look of The Muppet Movie Kermit and are gonna shoot for that one. Printing out the head now but I didn't see any dimensions for it. Could you give me a neck size or mouth width please?
Thanks again
Chad

I'm working on a Kermit too and am playing with scale. The old patterns ECL posted in the other thread said the mouth plate should be about 4" wide. But that was scaled to eyes made out of 40mm ping-pong balls. ECL's more recent builds have been scaled to 3.5mm eyes, so by that math the mouthplate should be ~3.5" wide.

Problem with that is that it makes the head really small. I've seen two different original Kermits in museums, and they are smaller than you'd think. But Jim Henson's hands were notoriously large, and I can't fathom how he'd fit them in a head that small.

 

[ecl]

I'm working on a Kermit too and am playing with scale. The old patterns ECL posted in the other thread said the mouth plate should be about 4" wide. But that was scaled to eyes made out of 40mm ping-pong balls. ECL's more recent builds have been scaled to 3.5mm eyes, so by that math the mouthplate should be ~3.5" wide.

Problem with that is that it makes the head really small. I've seen two different original Kermits in museums, and they are smaller than you'd think. But Jim Henson's hands were notoriously large, and I can't fathom how he'd fit them in a head that small.

The real Kermits do indeed look very small in person! The one I looked at helped me to gather a lot of measurements through various extrapolation techniques. I would say that he actually looks deceptively small. My first impression was also the same—how could a large hand fit in that?! But keep in mind Kermit is mostly a ‘sock puppet’. A person with larger hands would still be able to operate something flexible like that. Actually, if Kermit‘s head was actually a sock, it would be considered largish sized one—imagine someone putting a sock of that size on their hand; generally it shouldn’t be an issue, although certainly what shape that would make would vary from person to person. Antron fleece is also extremely flexible and stretchy. Something like a 3.5” mouthplate seems to work well for a range of hand sizes; actually works better for people with bigger hands (at least longer fingers), as it allows for more affective manipulation of the puppet! Granted, if someone had giant wider mitt like hands, that might be more difficult—but more so just trying to get that kind of hand into the opening—but someone with large but longer fingers would have an advantage working something like Kermit.

I’m actually working on another build at the moment! Been a long while since my last build, but I wanted to try out the new puppet pelts fleece. Built with a 3 1/4” mouthplate this time. My hands are about average size male—a little bit smaller— but my fingers are thinner. I actually find theres a bit too much room in there for my hand to be optimal for performance to make the more exaggerated expressions (should be ideal for someone with bigger hands than me). I wish more people had the chance to try working a Kermit puppet! It’s a fun experience.

An early ‘Halloween’ shot

Here’s a fun pic of a build from before—it shows just how his head really is nothing but a fancy sock haha!

 

[kurtyboy]

Let me all see you do that face he makes when he's pissed off please! I loved that expression as a kid and it made my day when he did it.

 

[NR16020]

The real Kermits do indeed look very small in person! The one I looked at helped me to gather a lot of measurements through various extrapolation techniques. I would say that he actually looks deceptively small. My first impression was also the same—how could a large hand fit in that?! But keep in mind Kermit is mostly a ‘sock puppet’. A person with larger hands would still be able to operate something flexible like that. Actually, if Kermit‘s head was actually a sock, it would be considered largish sized one—imagine someone putting a sock of that size on their hand; generally it shouldn’t be an issue, although certainly what shape that would make would vary from person to person. Antron fleece is also extremely flexible and stretchy. Something like a 3.5” mouthplate seems to work well for a range of hand sizes; actually works better for people with bigger hands (at least longer fingers), as it allows for more affective manipulation of the puppet! Granted, if someone had giant wider mitt like hands, that might be more difficult—but more so just trying to get that kind of hand into the opening—but someone with large but longer fingers would have an advantage working something like Kermit.

I’m actually working on another build at the moment! Been a long while since my last build, but I wanted to try out the new puppet pelts fleece. Built with a 3 1/4” mouthplate this time. My hands are about average size male—a little bit smaller— but my fingers are thinner. I actually find theres a bit too much room in there for my hand to be optimal for performance to make the more exaggerated expressions (should be ideal for someone with bigger hands than me). I wish more people had the chance to try working a Kermit puppet! It’s a fun experience.

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An early ‘Halloween’ shot

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Here’s a fun pic of a build from before—it shows just how his head really is nothing but a fancy sock haha!

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Thanks for the reply! I know that it's been said before, but all of your Kermits are absolutely stunning. I'm continually in awe of the work you put out (that last pic is absolutely cracking me up, too).

I actually really like the way that new fleece looks - it gives more of a current Kermit feel.

I'm struggling to wrap my head around the idea of a 3 1/4" mouth plate, but maybe I'll give it a whirl.

 

[ecl]

Thanks, it’s still a fun process to learn new things about the builds! That’s true, the new fleece is more of a modern look—personally, I prefer the rougher look of the earlier Kermits! There’s a vendor in Canada that sells a similar fleece, but it’s more textured (weirdkidstore.com). I’m still waiting for that one to arrive.

One way to think of the mouthplate width is to think about how wide the average palm is (around the top of the palm, behind knuckles). On the occasion that a person who has giant WWE wrestler type hands—vastly larger than would be considered average—the width of the mouthplate would need to be widened a bit. Although someone like that probably would have issues just getting their forearm into the puppet lol. But really though, the width of the mouthplate shouldn’t be too wide, or else it will end up looking like Grover. The mouthplate is really just something for your fingers to grab onto (your actual palm and back of hand will be behind the plate edge, mainly filling the back of his head. So most of the shape you see in Kermits head are the fingers in various positions, with the fabric being easily responsive around the hand. That’s one reason why depending on who performs Kermit, the portrait is a bit different. Kermit is an amazing character in many ways!

Best way is to just build it, and see how it feels. It’s amazing how things can just come together and work. One thing you can do first is cut out a mouthplate at various sizes with cardboard, and see how that feels in your hand. It should be just around palm width, ideally slightly smaller (you want a snug fit with Kermit, to get the optimal expressions out of him). What’s actually a bit more tricky is making sure the openings in the bottom and neck are flexible and big enough to get your forearm through!! That’s why it’ Important to use something like a 1/2” foam for the body structure; any thicker, and the openings dramatically shrink. That’s something that I’ve modified throughout my builds to make them more comfortable on the arm.


This isn’t a good video (It was awkward holding the camera in one hand Kermit in the other), but I did this with the previous Kermit I built! 3.5” wide mouthplate, with plenty of room for an average to larger sized hand. I didn’t do the voice of course; I tried to match the movement to a track taken from a sound clip

 

[Gophertee]

Sneak peek: Here is one of my patterns.

Please see the link for pics: GopherTee User Profile | DeviantArt

 

[okBoomer]

Hi ecl I really want to build a Kermit just like yours can you share your new patterns please and I start building on August 20 and that’s in a few days I am going to order all the materials

 

[DorkDaddy]

Man... if I had the time this is the FIRST project I would launch on.

 

[ecl]

Had a little fun this afternoon making a quick video of the latest Kermit build—no sound, as I was just practicing moving the puppet a little. Video quality isn’t great; I used the front cam on my phone to do this. Making Kermit move isn’t as easy as it seems! But a lot of fun.

 

[skahtul]

These are amazing! My only issue is that a lot of the in progress and hacked up Kermits are a bit disturbing to my inner child

 

[Ethn]

What type of rubber do you use for the mouth plate on Kermit?

 

[ecl]

What type of rubber do you use for the mouth plate on Kermit?

I've been using these from Lowes (found in the plumbing section). I get the 1/16" inch stuff, which are very flexible, but after you add on the layer of felt or ultrasuede--on both sides if you decide to do that--it ends up getting slightly stiffer but still flexible. Works out pretty well.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Keeney-6-in-Rubber-Washer/1082955

Any other kind of similar material should work too. But these come in convenient 6x6 inch squares, enough to make one mouth plate from.

 

[Ethn]

I've been using these from Lowes (found in the plumbing section). I get the 1/16" inch stuff, which are very flexible, but after you add on the layer of felt or ultrasuede--on both sides if you decide to do that--it ends up getting slightly stiffer but still flexible. Works out pretty well.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Keeney-6-in-Rubber-Washer/1082955

Any other kind of similar material should work too. But these come in convenient 6x6 inch squares, enough to make one mouth plate from.

Ok, Thanks! It’s the last thing I need!

 

[ecl]

Speaking of Kermit, I made yet another Kermit puppet last week! I was trying out a new nylon fleece, this time from Weird Kid Store in Canada. It's a lot more textured than the Puppet Pelts fleece, something that I've always liked and prefer on my builds. It reminds me of some of the earlier, rougher looking Kermits. The color was a custom option, so it's a bit off from the more saturated color we usually see on Kermit, but it has an interesting vintage look, which I really like.

As usual, these are posed with removable pieces of foam in the head and neck. I'm planning on doing a set of photos with the puppet on my hand--it looks different and more natural when used as a puppet, but it's just a lot more difficult for me to use my camera to do that!


A quick texture contrast of old Puppet Pelts Nylon fleece, new version, and Weird Kid Store fleece (sample stock color seen here)

 

[Ethn]

Looks just like a real vintage Kermit!

 

[russellsch]

Oh wow! That has a used vintage look to it.

 

[Ethn]

I have another question, is there any tutorial you recommend for the Henson stitch. I can do the Whip stitch just fine (since I’ve made puppets before) but I need to learn the Henson stitch for Kermit.

 

[directorwho]

I have another question, is there any tutorial you recommend for the Henson stitch. I can do the Whip stitch just fine (since I’ve made puppets before) but I need to learn the Henson stitch for Kermit.

I love YouTube for this reason. It takes a lot of practice, I've been trying to get it right for a year and its still not right.
Here are a couple links to videos I've looked at to help.

 

[directorwho]

Hey ecl in your last picture you posted yesterday, what material are those ovals that are above your foot pin pad?