CHAT had a lot to say about the blog post, heres their input –
Littlenobody FABLES is a series of creature armature builds created as physical character references for SORA 2, with the goal of producing handcrafted animated fables exploring morality, emotion and the quiet moments that shape character. Each puppet is built by hand first, allowing real materials, lighting and texture to inform the final digital performances rather than relying purely on concept art.
The Moment a Puppet Becomes a Character
After weeks of building wire armatures, sculpting clay and refining proportions, there comes a point where everything changes.
Adding fur isn’t simply another construction step—it transforms an engineering project into a personality.
Until now Pip has been exposed wire, Milliput joints and sculpted clay. As the first pieces of fur are fitted, the technical work begins to disappear and the illusion starts to take over.
Planning the Fur Suit
Before committing to glue, every section was mocked up and tested.
The white chest panel was positioned first to establish Pip’s characteristic bib before the surrounding reddish-brown coat was wrapped around the body. Rather than rushing into permanent fixes, I wanted to see how the fur altered the overall silhouette and whether any underlying proportions suddenly felt wrong.
It’s remarkable how much fur changes a character. Limbs appear thicker, shoulders soften and the overall balance shifts, often revealing adjustments that weren’t obvious on the bare armature.
Finding Pip’s Personality
One of the biggest discoveries during this stage was that Pip naturally became much less “cute” than the original sketches.
The longer body, oversized paws and slightly anxious posture give him the appearance of a young woodland apprentice rather than a cartoon squirrel. That’s exactly the direction I wanted. Littlenobody FABLES has always aimed for handmade characters with believable personalities instead of exaggerated mascots.
Even without eyebrows or fully finished ears, Pip already feels thoughtful, curious and quietly determined.
Refining the Face
The face remained the focal point throughout the fitting process.
Small adjustments to the fur around the eyes, cheeks and muzzle dramatically changed how expressive the sculpt felt. The white muzzle contrasts strongly against the warm browns, helping draw attention to the eyes while giving Pip a clear visual identity that will read well in both close-ups and wider shots.
Temporary whiskers and ear positions were also tested, helping judge the final silhouette before permanently fixing those details.
Standing Beside Luma
One of my favourite moments during this build was placing Pip alongside Luma.
Seeing the two puppets together immediately confirmed that they belong in the same world. Although their species, colours and proportions are very different, they share the same handcrafted language—visible textures, slightly imperfect forms and an emphasis on expression over realism.
That’s an important test for the series. Every future character needs to feel unique while still looking like they inhabit the same woodland.
Almost Ready
With the fur suit largely complete, Pip has crossed an important milestone.
There are still details to finish—ears, whiskers, final grooming and subtle trimming—but the character is now recognisably Pip rather than a collection of materials.
From here the focus shifts away from construction and towards performance, creating a puppet capable of expressing the small emotions that sit at the heart of Littlenobody FABLES.
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