Probably one of the most asked questions we get is, “What is more effective – Moving Eyebrows or Blinking Eyes?”
The answer is not that simple. Each has its place in showing human emotion. Moving Eyebrows can show 1) Surprise, 2) Shock, 3) Awe, 4) Disgust, among other things. They can also be used as a form of flirtatiousness (if wiggled at a pretty girl). They can be used to express an “I don’t understand what you are saying”. They can show a state of confusion.
Concentrate through today at the way you use your own eyebrows in everyday speech and human interactions. Make your own list of the number of times that you find your own eyebrows being manipulated on your face in a conversation with others and each of the emotions that come from the movement. You will be amazed at the amount of time that you use your own eyebrows in a day. It can be everything from sympathy expressed at the passing of someone you know , to “What did you just accuse me of”?
Now for the other side of the question. Blinking Eyes. They can be used in a “staring contest” between you and your puppet or between your puppet and an audience member. They can be raised in “wonder”. They can be used to express sleepiness (as in an older character who wants to
take a nap). They can be used to express deep concentration for a moment in response to a question having been posed to the character. In a pretty young diva type character they can be batted flirtatiously with an audience member that the puppet is trying to forge a “relationship” with.
Again concentrate for a day on the way you or someone else around you uses their blinking capabilities in interaction with others. They should be used periodically just like we all do to simply “blink” (Keeps the old peepers from drying out and keeps you from just having a blank stare on your face.)
So in answer to the initial question, there is no simple answer to be given. Maybe the best answer is to have both features at your disposal and then you can tailor their usage to your act. Which of these two features would you like to give up on your own face? If budget is the real question behind the issue, then deciding which you would prefer to live without is probably the answer when placing an order. Know the type of routine you have in mind for your puppet and decide accordingly.
As you can see, the answer is more dependant on you than on what can give you the most use for the dollar spent.
We hope this non-answer to an often asked question helps shed some light on the complexities of the problem. We feel that the best solution is both but we are biased so don’t let that enter into your thinking.
That’s all for now folks,
Steve and JET