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Directions for How to Form Hand Shadow Puppets

No one knows exactly the first shadow-and-hand puppet was created. The website shadow-puppets.com guesses that shadow puppets probably originated during the time of cavemen: "...the people living during that particular period made use of the available resources, usually their hands and their feet, in order to tell or to express their sentiments." You can still use this ancient form of art to put on puppet shows, entertain kids or perform party tricks.

Things You'll Need

Strong light with a quartz bulb or a bulb with a small, bright filament
Bare wall in a dim room

Instructions

- 1
  Close all the doors and windows (and lower the blinds or close the drapes) in a room to make it completely dark. Turn on a single light with a quartz bulb or a bulb with a strong, bright filament and position it near a bare wall.
- 2
  Stand 1 to 3 feet away from the wall and cast a shadow by raising your hand between the wall and the light. Check to make sure the shadow is dark and crisp.
- 3
  Raise your right hand, with the back of your hand facing the wall and your palm facing your audience, and stick your forefinger and middle finger up in a "V" formation. Take your thumb and point it to the right. Your ring finger and little finger should be touching each other at this point.
- 4
  Slide your ring finger down your little finger, so that it makes a half-moon shape upon the little finger. Keep your right hand in this position.
- 5
  Bend your left wrist downwards so that your left hand makes a right angle with your left arm.
  
  Twist your left hand in this position to the left, so that your fingers point straight out to the left. Bring your bent left wrist up so that it touches the hollow of your right hand. You now have a deer.
- 6
  Move the little finger of your left hand up and down as you keep the rest of the fingers on that hand straight. That is the mouth of the deer.
- 7
  Now point your right thumb straight up and back. Take the little finger of your left hand and curl it downwards. Keeping your forefinger and middle finger together, move your straight ring finger up and down. You now have a goat.
- 8
  Shake out your hands. Raise your right hand so that it casts a shadow on the wall. Cross your middle finger over your forefinger. Leave your ring finger and little finger straight out, but do not let them touch, so that you are sort of making the "greater than" symbol. Tuck your thumb in so that it doesn't make a shadow.
- 9
  Make a handgun shape with your left hand by pointing your forefinger and middle finger out and together and cocking your thumb up and back. Press the front of your left hand in this position to the bottom of your right wrist. These are the feet and tail of your new dog.

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