Hey there!
I'm Tommy!
I'm an artist who's learned through independent research and development. My favourite kind of art is Fan Art and have been using this media to change the world!
A Canadian art lover from the land of the living skies, Saskatchewan! I am a bird loving magician who is strangely obsessed with weird/creepy things.
Art has always been a part of my life as I grew up with a lot of creative and gifted family members. I love shooting photography with my Canon XSi and making stock available for other artists.
I also enjoy drawing as a hobby and love working with one-on-one collaborations.
New? Start Here -
I've been creating puppets and sharing aspiring puppet-makers how to build theirs through my Youtube channel and this website. Choose your own adventure!
About My Feather Logo
So you might be wondering about the meaning behind the blue burning feather logo that you see on my videos and my website. Two of my ideas (Piplupโs blue feather and Charmanderโs flame symbols on his bandana) were fused together to create โBadge of the Burning Featherโ.
The meaning behind the badge represents the legendary Phoenix. This bird is a symbol of Rebirth and New Beginnings. This is exactly what my art is all about, taking the ashes of something once living (newspaper, cardboard, toilet paper which all come from trees) and giving it new life. Rebirth. That is the true meaning behind this icon.
CURIOUS TO KNOW...
Why I make my puppets?
When I made my first puppets (Freddy, Bonnie and Chica) Iโve had only a small amount of experience with paper sculpting, which the last one was a balloon piรฑata back in grade 1. I have also made some โmonster machinesโ in grade 2 out of cardboard boxes which I kept for a long time.
Because Iโve always liked being different, I wanted to make something no one has made before. I took the two ideas together to make newer and more functional โmonster machinesโ which in this case are usable puppets which the arms and head moves and can make their mouths talk.
I created 5 well-known characters from an indie based horror game โFive Nights at Freddyโsโ by ScottGames which children and horror aficionados can truly appreciate art in the most life like form.
Plus with me being obsessed with weird and creepy things I wanted that creepy feeling to exist in my own home.
I wish to display my art publicly because I want children to admire and feel inspired when they see their friends up close in person because characters are in the hearts of many children. My FNAF puppets made it to a live art gallery display which made the local news!
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The Puppet Lab is where your favourite characters turn into real-life puppets...
(and scare the life out of you, one 3AM challenge at a time)
LISTEN CLOSELY, FRIEND.
Advice from the Puppet Master
Getting started with art is not always easy to do. We tend to be our own worst critic and everything can be very overwhelming when starting off. We can also be intimidated by the professionals and end up saying to ourselves โThis person is so good, how will I ever get to be as good as themโ? Some of us donโt have the time, money and/or materials to make the art they want which can be another challenge when starting with art.
Even as intimidating as these puppets can be, I can admit that I too was not a great artist at the beginning! It had taken my puppets two whole years for them to get noticed! The nicest thing about paper mache is, it is never too late to fix any mistakes or make improvement!
Iโve learned the key to making good art is to work at a pace that is comfortable to yourself. My puppets were made with all the criticism Iโve received during their early days. I offer tutorials on how to make masks and puppets out of newspaper and cardboard! Not only will you learn how to make cool crafts for very cheap, but yourโe also being environmentally sensible as well.
My name is Tommy Kirk and people refer me as the โpuppet masterโ.
I am best known for my โFive Nights at Freddyโsโ life size puppets that I made out of recycled materials! My passion is my own childhood, and Iโve been using puppets ever since I was five years old.
I have a passion for changing things and right now my mission is to change the world of art by making unique and different things out of newspaper. My mission is to change the entire world and to become a part of many childhoods!
My mission started with my first charity project which I ran โGentlemon Charity Ballโ for Typhoon Haiyan and Movember: This project got an overwhelming 270 participants involved to make this MASSIVE poster of Pokemon with moustaches. I still run charity projects today.
I work with professionalism and with positivity.
did you know...?
Fun Facts About Me!
1.
I am hard of hearing and worn hearing aids my entire life
2.
I have a diploma in Renewable Resource Management from Lethbridge College and a certification in Bird Biology from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
3.
I have a deep love for animals, especially birds! I have two tame parakeets of my own Bella and Chico.
4.
I have been known to be a very good public speaker! Iโve won speech competitions in elementary school and have been using my ability to present to my fullest advantage to this day.
5.
I used to be a stage magician! Iโve been practicing the art of illusions since I was little and have done magic shows for profit. Magic has become a hobby now and the puppets are my new profession to this day. However, the magicians always have their secrets, just like all of my puppets *wink wink*
6.
Iโve competed in Science Fair competitions in High School and won 1st place in my โBird Brainsโ presentation and was selected to be a โFuture Conservation Leaderโ from my โBird Bandingโ presentation.
7.
I also have a large gallery of nature stock images! My most popular stock images are my space photographs of the sun and moon! My entire stock gallery can be found here:
8.
I am also well known for the large amount of charity work Iโve done on deviantART! You can see more of my charity projects and future events in my deviantART group. I have also received a โDeviousness Awardโ for my charity work that can be read here.
9.
I love camping! I love spending a night living outdoors. Itโs a good way to get in touch with nature and to get inspired with art.
10.
My most favourite kind of paint is GLOW PAINT! I am absolutely obsessed with Glow-In-the-Dark powders and paints!
Where to find me:
Ready to build your own puppets & wow everyone you know?
Imagine having easy-to-follow, step by step instructions to build your own puppets (life or pocket-sized, you choose!) based on your original characters or the ones from your favorite games.