Art of Marionette Hand Carving – August 2021, 16th till 22nd - 7day course

The last one was serious fun so looking forward to the next one :-)
Petr

Only 4 of you will learn under the supervision of Martin how to carve, paint, assemble and control marionette according to your design. The workshop takes place at Martin’s atelier close to Prague Castle.

EXPLORING PRAGUE

Me and my friends from Prague’s puppet community will show you our beautiful city and its magic. We will join some Prague events as well as try the very best beers!!

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. 

Hope to see you here in Prague!

Petr Puppeteer

A short videos from workshops

Sound of Wood

Marionette done by Alexis

Super Reader Marionette done by Kate

Detailed Schedule:

For the first three days, you will carve the individual parts of which the puppet is composed. The fourth day is intended for finishing the surface and preparing for painting, or the first layer of paint. On the fifth day, you finish the painting and possibly paint the puppet. For the next two days, you will learn how to assemble the puppet and connect it correctly. If there is time left, you will also learn tips and tricks on how to play your puppet to the maximum.

Daily scheduling:

We will start every morning at 9 am and finish at 6 pm. During the day we have a lunch break.

We can also prepare plenty of side activities for you! Prague itself is a magical city and we’d love to take you for a night walk through the town. To have some fun, there is an opportunity to experience a private boat trip, enjoy some live music and you can also visit our showroom full of wonderful puppets!

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FAQ

Where is this course?

This workshop takes place in Prague at Martin’s workroom close to Prague Castle.

How long will it take?

It takes 6 days plus 1 day of a half working programm in the middle of the course to relax a bit and to explore the city...

How many people are on the course?

There are maximum 4 people in the workshop

Is there an apartment close to the course?

If accommodation in Prague is a problem for you, accommodation in a private apartment will be available together with other course participants, from August 1st till August 9th. This accommodation is situated 30 minutes by walk or 10 minutes by public transport from Prague Castle and 45 minutes by walk or 20 minutes by public transport from the atelier. We are able to provide you only the accommodation, food will be up to you.

In case you prefer your privacy before the price, you can find your own accommodation via Booking.com or Airbnb.

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Short interview with Martin about hand carving...

Petr: So what is so amazing about carving a figurine?

Martin: Hard to describe... I think it is first about feeling the wood itself. Wood has its own aroma, weight, grain. And then about the response, you get from the wood.

Petr: Response?

Martin: Yes. Once you learn how to hand carve you feel that wood gives you possibilities of where and how deep you can go with a chisel. That’s why no figurine is the same.

Petr: You are talking about that old truth which all sculptors have repeated through the ages,  that there is shape already hidden inside and the sculptor is just taking it out of the mass. Right?

Martin: I mean it is not magic or something like that. Wood has simply some structure inside which gives you ways of how you can work with it. It's nice to let yourself improvise and change your ideas as they develop in your creation during the process of carving.

Petr: Ok. And what else is so nice about carving for you?

Martin: Besides the smell which I like a lot is the fact that something is forming in your hands. You think about it and it gives you new and fresh impulses to look at it again and again.

Petr: I know what you are talking about. I personally love the sound of wood while carving. Anyway, thank you for the quick interview.