A variation of the rod puppet, the hand-rod puppet, combines the best features of the two types. The puppeteer's hand passes through the puppet's body to allow manipulation of the head, but rods are used to manipulate the limbs. The vast possibilities of this technique were explored by Jim Henson with many of his Muppet figures. Rod puppets were also common in the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary, where large government-supported puppet theaters enjoyed great popularity. Although rod puppets are versatile, they have drawbacks.
Shadow puppets are usually two-dimensional.
Cut in intricate, sometimes lacy, patterns from such materials as leather, fish skin, and cardboard, these full-figure puppets are viewed through a screen that is illuminated from behind. Only the silhouette, or shadow, of the puppet is visible to the audience. Such puppets may be operated by rods or strings. Variations of shadow puppets are also traditional in Greece, Turkey, India, and China. Shadow puppets are effective because the onlookers have to use their imaginations to fill in color and dimension.