The art of the marionette is all about controlling the figures in a way that is interesting and realistic. The eleven string system is a great way to acheive remarkable life like motions with a humanoid marionette.

If you are a beginner to marionettes I also have a tutorial that shows you how to make a simple marionette and how to string it up with a simple three string system: How to make a marionette

And I also have a tutorial on how to make a marionette theatre

Here is an illustration of how to string up a more realistic eleven string marionette. This takes two hands to operate and with some practice you can get this marionette to move in a very realistic manner. Note that the string lengths shown in the illustration are not to scale. You should string up your marionette with appropriate lengths of string.

Pinocchio Wooden Marionette

Welcome to the world of "Original Wooden Marionettes". Our Marionettes are all carefully designed and crafted by hand with careful attention to detail. Our Marionettes always take "center stage"! They can make a magical decoration in any child's room, yet they are sturdy enough for real child's play. For hours of enjoyment and dramatic play, we think that you will find that they are quite simple to use. All of our Marionettes stand approximately 15" tall excluding the strings. Your Marionette is from a large family, all awaiting to be part of your family. Designed for ages 5 years and older.

Making and Manipulating Marionettes

Making and Manipulating Marionettes is a superb guide to a craft and performance art that has fascinated audiences for over 2,000 years. Handsomely illustrated throughout, it presents precise instructions for the making of marionettes, both for plays and for acts in the variety tradition. All aspects of marionette design, construction, and control are covered, and there are rare insights into specialized designs and stringing techniques. Contents include an introduction to the marionette tradition and the principles and practicalities of marionette design; advice on materials and methods for carving, modeling, and casting puppet parts; detailed explanations for marionette control, stringing, and manipulation; step-by-step instructions for the construction and jointing of human and animal marionettes; and professional secrets for achieving a wide range of special effects.

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