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Goro Puppet: Paws for Consideration

I was revisiting some of my sketches for Goro's fox form that I made awhile ago.  The first image is the ideal look I want for the puppet except the front paws aren't quite right. 



The correct vibe and anatomy.
Wrong face, but correct front paws.
The character concept for Goro is a dragon-blooded kitsune. This is why he has scales down his back and more dragon-like front paws. However, I must consider how to make this in puppet form!
There are few things these front paws need to do: 
  1. Support the puppet by hooking into my clothes with claws
  2. Have a bit of weight to hold it in place
  3. Keep a round, finger paw shape
  4. Support the wire frame and remain posable

Method 1: Sewing

The easiest method would be to simply sew and stuff the paws more like a lizard or frog. This would give them the correct shape. The downside is that squishy front paws won't "hook" onto my clothes as easily because stuffing deforms. Even if the claw portions are a hardened material, it won't distribute the weight enough. Although, I could stuff them with weighted pellets which would make them firmer than stuffing with fluff. 

Method 2: Art Doll Posable Fingers

This is based on a method for making dragon art dolls as seen by BubbleLeaf here: 


This would include a portion made out of Resin or Polymer Clay in the claw area. This is very firm! It would hold it shape and hook in easily! However, it's a bit tedious to hand sew every toe. 

Method 3: Hollow Forms

In this method, I would create the shape of the claw and finger pad with a thermal plastic (or UV resin). The claw portion would be solid but the finger pad would be like a small cup. This will help the paw keep it shape and if I fill the paw with pellets they would be heavy enough. This gives the paw a soft feeling while still having enough weight to hold. 

Of these three methods I think I prefer the Art Doll method the most since I have see someone else do it successfully. The other puppets of this kind have sculpted claws that are NOT posable so I think I've added some complication that may end up being my downfall. But we shall see. The hollow form has potential and would use less material and work well with the wire frame. 

I also have to keep in mind that most of Goro's structure will be wire frames and quilt batting and EVA foam. 

Side note: The back paws are proper canine back paws so I'm most likely to sew this like a normal paw and use needle sculpting to get the right shape and toe distinction. But I'll delve into some research about different ways I could approach these too. 
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