Stegosaurus

Similar to G.Raff, Stegosaurus originated from one of my childhood drawings, and was made to be an exact replica. I took creative liberties in the choice of colors and patterns for the different body parts, making him as vibrant and whimsical as the other characters. Stegosaurus is made of a reed armature, lashed together with waxed linen, partially covered in handmade paper, and veiled in hand-dyed silk organza and silk habotai. A traditional Japanese shibori dyeing technique is used on the fabric that covers the body, as well as the organic-shaped dorsal plates that line the top of his back. His feet and toes are cast-paper over reed, and painted with acrylic.

 

Stegosaurus is technically a puppet, and hangs from a strand of monofilament connected to a pole, which is held by a puppeteer. Even though this puppet is hollow and incredibly light, he is surprisingly difficult to wield, especially on a windy day! With limited gestural abilities, it is the puppeteer’s task to match his body language with what Stegosaurus is feeling, adding more emotion and context to the performances. Stegosaurus is G.Raff’s best friend, and his sudden disappearance in G.Raff, Spotted in the Forest is what sends her into a frenzy, on a quest to find her lost companion. A special thank you to puppeteer Brian McMullen for bringing Stegosaurus to life during many long months of filming!