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How to Make Shadow Puppets of Animals With Your Hands

Shadow puppeteering by hand is one style of shadow puppetry, a unique art form that uses shadows to create illusions and even tell stories. Shadow puppetry has been around since ancient times and originated as a form of theatre in eastern Asia. Today, much of that tradition is still carried on, and simpler forms of shadow puppetry, such as making shadow animals with your hands, can be done by anybody and is a great way to entertain and engage others in a creative experience.

Things You'll Need

Bright light source

Instructions

- 1
  Shine a bright light against a flat suface, such as a wall, in a room that is as dark as possible. Shadow puppetry works in rooms with overhead lighting, but it is not as effective.
- 2
  Place your hands between the light source and the flat surface. Your hands will block the light rays from hitting the surface, thus creating shadows.
- 3
  Move your hands to form various animals and creatures. One easy animal for beginners to make is a flying bird. Simply cross your hands with the palm sides facing yourself and line one thumb behind the other. Bend your fingers in a smooth fashion to give the appearance that your bird puppet is flying.
- 4
  Purchase books that have pictures and explanations of how to do complex shadow puppets, such as deer or life-like rabbits. Watch online videos to further understand how to make specific animals if you are a visual learner. Visit kellys.com, listed in the Resources section, for an excellent primer on creating animal shadow puppets.
- 5
  Practice often. You may not get the puppet to look exactly as you want it to the first time; however, with practice your hands become accustomed to the art of hand shadow puppetry and you may eventually be able to create your own puppets.

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