1. Half body and full body puppets are ideal for ventriloquism, the art of making one's voice appear to be coming from a source other than the speaker.
2. Half and full body puppets can be set in the puppeteer's lap or carried in the puppeteer's arm for maximum control.
3. Use a puppet rod to control the arm movements of half and full body puppets. These rods do not attach permanently and, when used properly, can create convincing, lifelike movement. They can also attach to tails, facial features, and other movable parts.
4. Develop your ventriloquism skills by practicing with your full body puppet in front of a large mirror. Try to say each letter of the alphabet without moving your lips.
5. When speaking on behalf of your full body puppet, use a voice louder than your own in addition to changing the pitch.
6. Use your puppet hand to move your half or full body puppet animatedly as you speak on its behalf. This will serve to distract viewers from the small movements of your mouth.
7. Another ventriloquist technique is to develop consistent voices and accents to go with particular puppets. Experiment with these to create a distinct puppet personality.
8. The word ventriloquism is derived from the Latin words "venter," meaning belly, and "locutus," meaning to speak. The word itself literally means "to speak from the belly."
9. Bringing puppets to life requires a little creativity as well as practice. Try moving your puppet in unconventional ways, such as using your fingers to move its nose or contort its mouth to add personality and lifelike movement.
