Foundation Course to Puppet Mastery with Bernd Ogrodnik

For the Dreamers and Creators Ready to Bring Wood to Life

The Foundation Course to Puppet Mastery is perfect for you if:

You dream of crafting characters that tell stories.
You are curious about working with wood as a medium.
You have looked at a block of wood and imagined turning it into something extraordinary.
You want to learn from one of the most renowned masters in the field as he shares his proven techniques, systems, and secrets of the trade
You want to boost your confidence, ignite your creativity, and immerse yourself in your imagination.

Unlock Expert Techniques and Transform Your Creative Vision

Master Essential Tools: Learn how to use both basic and advanced carving tools safely, ensuring you can work with confidence, whether you're well-equipped or just starting out.
Discover the Secrets of Wood: Understand the properties of different woods and how to choose the best one for your project.
Design a Strong Character: Create a clear character design, starting with a drawing that becomes a functional technical blueprint, guiding your carving process.
Carve Each Puppet Part: Step-by-step instructions on how to carve each part of your puppet, using a variety of tools to achieve detailed and professional results.
Get Started with Minimal Tools: Even with basic tools, you’ll learn techniques to start carving and achieve quality results.
Assemble, Dress, and Paint Your Puppet: Bring your creation together by assembling the parts, dressing, and adding artistic touches through painting.
Animate Your Creation: Learn expert manipulation techniques to bring your puppet to life, making it more than just a static object.

PLUS: Get a sneak peek into advanced puppet styles with an exclusive overview of the highly functional designs featured in the follow-up Academy of the Wooden Puppet.

For the Dreamers and Creators Ready to Bring Wood to Life

The Foundation Course to Puppet Mastery is perfect for you if:

You dream of crafting characters that tell stories.
You are curious about working with wood as a medium.
You have looked at a block of wood and imagined turning it into something extraordinary.
You want to learn from one of the most renowned masters in the field as he shares his proven techniques, systems, and secrets of the trade
You want to boost your confidence, ignite your creativity, and immerse yourself in your imagination.

Unlock Expert Techniques and Transform Your Creative Vision

Master Essential Tools: Learn how to use both basic and advanced carving tools safely, ensuring you can work with confidence, whether you're well-equipped or just starting out.
Discover the Secrets of Wood: Understand the properties of different woods and how to choose the best one for your project.
Design a Strong Character: Create a clear character design, starting with a drawing that becomes a functional technical blueprint, guiding your carving process.
Carve Each Puppet Part: Step-by-step instructions on how to carve each part of your puppet, using a variety of tools to achieve detailed and professional results.
Get Started with Minimal Tools: Even with basic tools, you’ll learn techniques to start carving and achieve quality results.
Assemble, Dress, and Paint Your Puppet: Bring your creation together by assembling the parts, dressing, and adding artistic touches through painting.
Animate Your Creation: Learn expert manipulation techniques to bring your puppet to life, making it more than just a static object.

PLUS: Get a sneak peek into advanced puppet styles with an exclusive overview of the highly functional designs featured in the follow-up Academy of the Wooden Puppet.

"Thank you for offering this wonderful course. I feel like I have been waiting for many years to make some artistic and technical progress in my work as a puppeteer. You have been a very inspiring teacher in many ways by asking the participants to consider how we approach puppetry as an art, and in the way, you approach the craft of wood carving as well. This course has given me the needed confidence to start new projects after many years of stagnation. I also liked getting to know the other participants in this course. There are many very talented and very inspiring people in this class."

Antony Chapman, English Literature and Drama Teacher

What's included in the Foundation Course:

8 Comprehensive Video Lessons: Released weekly, these pre-recorded classes are accessible anytime, allowing you to learn at your own pace.
Ongoing Expert Support: Get continuous assistance from our team throughout the eight-week course.
Live Interaction: Join 2 live Q&A sessions per month—ask questions live or submit them beforehand. Miss a session? Watch the recordings anytime.
Exclusive Community Access: Enjoy 2 months in a private Facebook group, where you can connect, share insights, and get support from fellow puppet enthusiasts.
Flexible Learning: Need more time? Extend your program access for a nominal fee.
Detailed Resources: Receive ready-to-print diagrams to guide your carving process.
Earn a Certificate: Submit your completed Buddy Puppet and receive a certificate of completion to showcase your achievement.

Bonus: Sharpening Mastery Course

Instant Access Upon Enrollment!

Mastering the art of sharpening your knives and chisels is essential for any successful woodcarver. Bernd believes that the lack of sharpening skills is a major reason why wooden puppet artists are rare. This bonus course offers detailed, step-by-step instructions to help you achieve razor-sharp precision with your tools.

As soon as you enroll, you'll receive a confirmation email with instant access to this valuable class. Experience the joy of carving with perfectly sharpened tools!

When does the course begin?

Your puppet-building journey begins as soon as you enroll.

What if I don't have any woodworking or carving experience before taking this course?

We're so glad you asked that!

Guess what: we have students like you, who joined the Foundation Course and have never held a carving knife before.

Carving is like any other skill — you just need to start and practice, practice, practice. So, you can absolutely join even if you have no woodworking or carving experience.

What if I'm not fluent in English?

Don't worry! We're not native English speakers either 🙂 In the pre-recorded classes, Bernd explains everything slowly so anyone can understand. However, if you don't understand something, you can always pause the video, rewind, and watch it again. Plus, you'll have a community of fellow students who will be eager to help you if you have any questions.

Will I benefit from the course if I have already built wooden puppets?

Definitely! The course not only teaches the making of one of Bernd's most treasured puppet designs, but it also offers a tremendous wealth of tips and trade secrets that even advanced builders will benefit from.

Bernd will share what he has carefully studied and discovered in his almost 40-year journey as a successful puppeteer!

What if I fall behind?

The motto of our course is: working through the material at your own pace!

Classes are pre-recorded, and you can watch them at your own pace on your own time.

A program extension is available for a nominal fee.

I'm worried that I don't have any tools. How can I start?

We have had people like you with us that have made amazing puppets with an absolute minimum of tools.

We want to make it possible for EVERYONE to take part in this course with an absolute minimum of readily available tools.

Although you will learn about basic and advanced tools, all you need to start is a utility knife, coping saw, fine handsaw, and a drill.

Maneesh from India built his first puppet with just a utility knife and a coping saw.

So, you don't need to buy many tools in the beginning. You can start with just the utility knife, which you can buy at the gas station, and build your toolkit at your own pace.

I have physical challenges — I have arthritis — is it still possible for me to take the course?

We have many participants struggling with health challenges.

The use of various tool handles, constant reminders of correct posture, etc., are just a small part of this process.

If you have any other questions concerning this course offer, please send us an email at info@worldsofpuppets.com and we will answer as quickly as possible.

When does the course begin?

Your puppet-building journey begins as soon as you enroll.

What if I do not have any woodworking or carving experience before taking this course?

We are so glad you asked that!

Guess what: we have students like you, who joined the Foundation Course and have never held a carving knife before.

Carving is like any other skill — you just need to start and practice, practice, practice. So, you can absolutely join even if you have no woodworking or carving experience.

What if I am not fluent in English?

Don't worry! We're not native English speakers either 🙂 In the pre-recorded classes, Bernd explains everything slowly so anyone can understand. However, if you do not understand something, you can always pause the video, rewind, and watch it again. Plus, you will have a community of fellow students who will be eager to help you if you have any questions.