Since I have settled on a front-carrying design, I started delving into more research on making hand puppets in general. Size Reference Diagram The Plan (Currently) Most of the sculpting will be done with 3D printing instead of clay. I just prefer to do things this way. The body framework will include armature wire, EVA foam, and I will most likely sculpt the paws from clay. I plan to cover the body with a mix of felt, Minky, and brushed-out acrylic yarn. The puppet will open and close its mouth and blink. Prep Work So far I've been doing a search for 3D models and finding the scale. Once I found a good base for the head, I had to figure out how big this thing would be. I found my oversized drawing paper, traced my arm in the "puppet position", then started building out the puppet around it. I will use the drawing as a guide when creating the frame of the body and sculpting the paws. 3D Models I'm using several free 3D models by Tioh on Thingiverse including the
Budget and Beginner Friendly Costume Design