Creating Ventriloquist Figures With Wood Dough

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Webmaster

Wood Dough or Plastic Wood has been around for years. The type that was sold long ago did have some contents that in today’s heath standards can no longer be used such as lead. That being said you can still make a wood dough on your own and it does work really well. I have tried this myself. Once hardened it is able to be carved and sanded smooth. I have given you the formula below.

What you will need to make wood dough:
1 cup of clean sawdust (you can get it at the craft store)
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon liquid starch (it’s in the laundry section)
1 cup of water

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Posted in Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | 3 Comments

Ventriloquist Central Collection Video Series – Al Semok Little Girl Figure

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Webmaster

you tube ventriloquist central collection al semok little girl

Here’s a video showing an Al Semok Little Girl Ventriloquist Figure. Al Semok, the Dummy Doctor, has made some great ventriloquist figures over the years and today I would like to share a rather fine example of his work.

This figure is quite possibly the smallest rather loaded figure he has produced. It is a girl figure and is so sweet and proportioned just right for walk around ventriloquism. This figure is all original and stands a whopping 23″ tall, She has slot jaw, side to side self centering eyes, winkers, and blinkers.

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Posted in Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | 1 Comment

Basswood The Choice For Ventriloquist Figures

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Webmaster

basswood blocks

Up until the 1980’s most all ventriloquists used hard figures in their performance. Also most figures were carved from wood and the wood of choice was and still is basswood. The reason for this is that basswood has a very tight grain but is rather soft and there for lends itself to the carving knife.

There have been figures made from other woods. John Turner made his figures from pine. Turner precut most of his parts and then layered them for completion. You look at a Turner figure and they are almost all identical in looks.

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Posted in Scott Bryte, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | 3 Comments

Ventriloquist Central Presents Tidbit in a Minute Lesson 8 with Mr.Puppet

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Webmaster

you tube bob abdou tidbit 8

Here is lesson number eight from our good friend and regular contributor ventriloquist/puppeteer, Bob Abdou aka Mr. Puppet with his video he calls “Tidbit in a Minute.”

Today’s video is “Thespian.”

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Ventriloquist Central Collection Video Series – Bill Nelson Ventriloquist Figure

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Webmaster

you tube ventriloquist central collection bill nelson first figure

Here’s a video showing a Bill Nelson Ventriloquist Figure, possibly number one. Bill sculpted in clay and then the heads were cast in fiberglass.

No molds of these figures were made so they are one of a kind. Bill had someone in Richmond do the jaw mechanics and that was the only function in the very first figures.

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Posted in Dummy Collecting, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figure (Dummy) Makers, Ventriloquist Figure Building, Ventriloquist Figures, Ventriloquist Videos, Video Collecting Series | Leave a comment