puppet fabrication- methods and materials

Been researching different fabrication methods and materials...

. URETHANE FOAM build up puppets:
Urethane foam is also known as cushion foam or upholstery foam. It's generally done by glueing foam on to an armature and shaping with scissors. A skin can be made covered with clothing sewn from fabric. Heads can be made from hard materials like polymer clay or wood, or cast from resin. Hands can be made by coating wire with liquid latex. This is a good simple way to make puppets- easier to animate than clay.

. FOAM LATEX puppets:
Excellent compression and stretch properties. It can be cast in a mould to duplicate a puppet sculpt done in plasticine clay. Commonly used in professional and often even in upper-end amateur productions, but it is pretty expensive  and requires a steep learning curve in order to master all skills necessary. It comes in kit form: 4 components- latex base, gelling agent, curing agent and foaming agent.

. NEEDLE SCULPTING- Nylon Pantyhose method:
This method doesn't involve sculpting and casting. There is a related method called 'felting'. it cane used for making thick cartoony clothing directly on puppets, making hair (some Wallace and Gromit charactershave felted hair) or even making faces for animal like puppets.