Problem: Article: You can choose a person or an animal as your partner. However, you must always make sure that the puppet’s personality is different from your own, to give the illusion that you are not the same person. For instance, if you are a kind, responsible person, make your partner a mischievous jokester.  If you are athletic and love watching sports, make your partner someone who hates watching football and loves going to the opera instead. Make your partner a scientist or mathematician if you are someone who prefers painting or sculpting, instead. Think about what kind of routine you wish to create and what personality would complement yours the best for creating this routine. Look at the puppets’ shape, size, age, and facial features. Also take note of their clothing and accessories. Choose a puppet that fits the character you created for your partner. For example, if your imagined character is a young, energetic boy, don't pick a puppet that's an old man or a young lady. If you imagined a sad, mangy dog as your partner, don’t choose a shiny, happy-looking pup.  You can choose a puppet with a hard figure (made out of wood) or soft figure (such as a cloth doll) as well as a “novelty” figure (like a jalapeno). You can find a wide array of puppets to choose from online. There are many different control schemes for puppets, but one with a moving head is excellent for beginners. Choose one where you put your hand in the back, grab a stick attached to the head, and push a trigger to move the mouth. This is key when animating your puppet, and works better than a puppet that uses a string on the neck to operate the mouth. Some puppets have other features, including the ability to move their eyebrows, lips, ears, and eyes. You should act as though the puppet is alive from the moment you pick it out. Don't treat your puppet like a doll or toy, instead treat them like a part of your family! Play games with your partner, watch TV with them, and bring them to family get-togethers. Have your puppet tell you stories about their life and experiences. Ask questions about their likes and dislikes, family, education, goals, hopes, and dreams. Even though you are technically making this up, it will help you believe that there is life in your partner. ” Ventriloquism, like magic, uses misdirection to make an act believable. If the audience is looking at the puppet, they won’t see that you are, in fact, the one who is speaking. Move your puppet’s mouth in time with every syllable of the words you are saying, and use their arms or body to gesture appropriately throughout their speech. Be sure that the head isn't moving too much while they speak, or this will distract the audience from the actual speech. Try to observe real people as they speak, and have your partner mimic those movements. It’s important to keep your puppet moving, even when you are speaking, to help the audience believe that they are real. Also, be sure the amount that they are moving is consistent with their character. For example, if they are young and energetic, have their head move quickly and shake while they’re speaking. If they are an older person or a sleepy child, move their head slowly and not as often. If your partner only moves their head, they will seem unrealistic to the audience. Move the rest of their body as well. For example, have them shift around on your knee or the stool they are sitting on, slump over, or stretch.
Summary: Decide what kind of partner you want. Find a puppet that will fit that character. Choose a puppet with a moving head. Convince yourself that your puppet is alive. Create a life and backstory for your puppet. Direct the audience’s eyes toward the puppet when they are “speaking. Keep your puppet moving.

Problem: Article: to 375°F (190°C). The best type of bread to use for this is something that is slightly stale with a thick crust, such as: boule, ciabatta, and sourdough. Try to make your pieces about ¾-inch (1.91-centimeter) wide. You can remove the crust if you want to, but many people choose to leave it on for texture and variation. Here are some ways you can cut your croutons:  If you want standard croutons, cut the bread into slices first, then into cubes. If you want something rustic, simply tear your bread into small chunks. If you want French croutons, cut a baguette into ¼ to ½-inch (0.64 to 1.27-centimeter) thick slices. If you want something simple, a teaspoon or two of salt will do. If you want something more flavorful, try adding some fresh or dried herbs. If you wish to make Parmesan cheese or fresh herb croutons, hold off on the cheese/herbs for right now; you will add them later. Keep tossing until the bread pieces are evenly coated. If you are making French croutons, use a pastry brush to lightly coat each side with the oil mixture instead. Make sure that the croutons are not touching, or they may end up soggy. If you can't fit all of the croutons onto one baking sheet, divide them between two baking sheets. If you have a small oven, you will need to bake the croutons on different levels, then rotate the baking sheets after 5 minutes so that they bake evenly. Depending on how stale the bread was and the size you made the pieces, your croutons may be done after 10 minutes. If they aren't, toss them again, and bake them for another 5 minutes or so. Some croutons may take up to 20 minutes, especially if you like them extra-crunchy.  If you are making French croutons, use a spatula or a pair of tongs to flip the croutons over. If you want to make Parmesan cheese/fresh herb croutons, add the cheese/herbs after the first 5 minutes of baking, just after you toss the croutons.
Summary: Preheat your oven Cut your bread into cubes or rectangles, then set them aside. Pour the olive oil or melted butter into a large mixing bowl, then stir in your desired seasonings. Put your bread pieces into the bowl, then toss to mix. Spread the croutons in an even layer across your baking sheet. Bake the croutons for bout 10 minutes, tossing them after 5 minutes.

Problem: Article: You will use this as the base to paint the eye. There are different color combinations you can use depending on what skin tone you are going for. Try to recreate your own skin tone for if you’re unsure what skin tone to use. Use the outline you drew earlier if you want a guide. Paint two ovals close to each other.  This will act as the foundation for the rest of the painting. The sclera is the white part of your eyes. The sclera in the eyes is never a pure white. Mix white paint with a touch of another color like light grey, light blue or light pink. Paint two ovals in the paint you just created. The scleras should be the same shape as the outline of the eyes, but smaller and inside the flesh toned outline. Add depth by shading and adding different tints. To make simple eyelashes you can draw with dark brown around the oval, but make sure to blend it well with the skin color. If you want to make more realistic eyelashes, you need a small brush and add the lashes one by one.
Summary:
Create a flesh color. Paint ovals as eyes. Create the sclera. Paint the eyelids.