Going to a Rally? How to Get more Attention for your Message

Instructions to Make Giant Thematic Imagery (e.g., Protest Puppets) for Your Group

In street protests, visual drama will deliver your message better. You can post photos of your eye-catching puppets and signs on social media to be widely shared. News outlets may feature you.

I’ve been gathering ideas for protest puppets and looking for tips and training online. I found a useful YouTube video that covers both the basic principles of protest puppetry and also demonstrates how to make a one-dimensional giant image that can be replicated for a group. In this post I summarize the key points made by the presenter, and provide a timeline to guide you through the video. The puppet maker is Jason Hicks, a founding member of Flying Cardboard Theater, a 2024 recipient of the Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award. The YouTube video was made by WonderSpark Puppets.

Key Points

1. This is ultimately a group project, a way to strengthen the collective.

2. Theatrics is the essence of protest puppetry.

3. Visual impact comes from having multiple people carrying the same or similar large image. Think repeated shapes and a color theme.

4. Think about your message. Pick out an image to repeat for visual effect and that represents the message/theme. Examples:

   1. Symbol of resistance: Fists (used in the video demo)

   2. Symbol of impending doom: Gravestones, Skeletons

   3. Symbol of sea level rise: Mermaids

   4. Symbol of housing injustice: Chevron shape (looks like a house)

   5. Symbols of environmental degradation: Animals, trees, insects

   6. Symbol of bad air quality: Inhalers

5. Flat pieces are easier to make and easier to carry to a protest. (If it’s going to rain, you can paint the message on umbrellas.)

6. Make a stencil so you can reproduce a large number of blank templates more easily and quickly. Then individual members can make them their own.

7. Increase the theatrics by having the group move together in different ways: waving signs in a rhythm; joining movement with sound; whole-body motion like jumping

The YouTube Video

For general information about the presenter and protest puppetry, jump to these points in the video:

• 12:15 - Intro to easy-to-make, two-dimensional massive puppetry

• 14:00 - Visual examples

• 1:01:10 - Background talk about Jason’s protest puppetry experience

• 1:07:20 - Purpose of protest puppetry and elements of the theatrics

• 1:20:30 - Does the word “puppet” turn people off?

Jump to these points for step-by-step crafting instructions:

• 33:20 - Materials for one-dimensional piece:

  • Cardboard or posterboard. Cardboard sources: Bike shops, furniture or appliance stores, large boxes can be opened up to make bigger pieces. Ask for cardboard on your FB Buy Nothing Group. Search garbage areas behind strip malls. Posterboard can be purchased at craft stores, dollar stores, and bodegas in some cities.

  • Chalk to sketch out design and paint (or markers). Use acrylic paint; house paint is cheaper

  • Boxcutter and cutting mat (triple-layer cardboard can be used)

  • Glue and/or tape if you need to attach things

• 34:15 - Drawing image and translating it to larger size while maintaining proportions

• 48:40 - Making a stencil to use for easy replication

  • 49:30 - Highlighting the areas to be cut out (negative spaces)

  • 55:35 - Cutting the negative spaces out of the stencil

  • 1:05:15 - Transfering image from stencil to another blank cardboard

  • 1:09:20 - Painting to finish the copy (after stenciling); think about representation (skin color, etcetera)

• 1:11:00 - Making it a group activity (people can fill in their own). Or someone can be the pick-up place for their pre-made template to customize at home.

• 1:14:39 - How to hold it up (some protests don’t allow sticks); reinforcing with more cardboard; okay to show your hands

Using the puppet signs at the rally or protest:

• 1:16:38 - Best used by an organized group, but if you aren’t a member of a group, you can also bring multiples and ask people at the rally if they want to use them with you.

• 1:17:30 - Use movement for visual effect; changing leadership roles in the group

• 1:22:00 - Practicing in advance to improve understanding about how puppets work (group practice).

Parting Notes

It’s okay if you do it badly the first time. That’s how you learn and get better.

Keep a box cutter with you at all times so you can just take the good pieces with you when you go scavenging for cardboard!

This is a way to have fun and joy in these stressful times.

Please leave a comment if you want to share ideas or other resources. Share photos of visual examples!