The prototype Bambi

I encountered multiple problems when creating the front legs for my deer. The mechanics I wanted to use failed and did not work and effectively as I had thought they would. The back hind legs were joined diagonally to the front legs (this meant when the back left leg moved the front right legs would move at the same time). The wire was not strong enough and was buckling when pressure was put on it in the form of the performer walking. However s stronger material would have meant s heavier material which would've made the puppet extremely difficult to operate and uncomfortable to use. I then had to explore other methods of gaining movement in the front legs. I came up with two alternative solutions. Of which I drew very simple sketches. 

The first solution I came up with was to attach a pole to either front legs, just above the knee. This would mean the performer would operate the front legs using their hands by lifting and pushing the poles in synchronisation with the back legs. 

The second possible solution was to attach cable to the front of the knee. Which in turn would run up through two guides and are pulled by the performer in order to lift the legs from the knee upwards and weighting down the bottom section of the legs so they would move freely but follow the direction of the upper leg. 

After trying both solutions I decided the second was the most effective. Although the poles did work, they made moving me the legs hard work and sometimes caused the legs to move at a slant away from the body of the deer, making it look wonky. I decided that the cables from the front legs were the most effective idea and fitted the cables straight away.