Cardboard Puppet Stage

Here's how you can make a puppet stage in a day.
Its lightweight, strong and portable and looks great for a hand puppet performance.
Includes new tips you can use to make hinge cupboards out of leather and balsa wood / thick cardboard.

Here's how to make the puppets displayed in this instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Design-Hand-Puppets/

Check out more a sample from Eric Guiomar's book step by step


New! Eric Guiomar's new pdf book part 2 is available.  Also excerpts of first book How to Make a Ming Table free download here:
Chapter contents
Part A & B French Instructiions for Ming Table
Scroll down to

Check out many French Cartonnistes Websites below:
French Cartonnistes Websites

Check out ways you can use puppetry for educational purposes:

http://www.nostrings.org.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/user/nostringspuppets

1. Draw the front side by tracing a rectangle onto 2 or 3 ply cardboard.

2. Check the direction of the cardboard, it should be vertical for stronger structure. (If cut on the vertical, it will bend easily)

3. Glue struts to front and back frame. I tried cold glue, but hot glue seems to work best.

Trace and measure inner walls and outer walls.

Cut with sharp craft knife, slicing 4-5 times lightly through card, (no energy is necessary).

The gum edges in place with gummed tape.

1. Cut a small piece of balsa wood or thick card that comes from the back of art sketch books. This will support the fabric hinge. File wood roughly so that the fabric will stick better.

2. Cut and glue a piece of leather to hinge.

Check out my Make Your Own Door Hinges slideshow here for more hinge designs.

1. Measure a piece of cloth which is larger than stage.

2. Trim to fit. Use pins if necessary to keep in place while cutting.

3. Use a paper stapler to staple the fabric at the back to hide the staples.