Mask-Making Is Easier Than You Think!
I love masks! I have made and collected masks for the last twenty-five years. Here I share some of my how-tos for mask-making with pictures and crafting tips. You can make a mask for yourself, or work on projects with your kids or students. And there are also lots of other mask-related goods and goodies!
The mask shown here was made for my Squidmercial application. You too can make a mask like this in a little over a hour! (see Making Masks with Sheet Foam) or check out my Giant Squidoo mascot head!
If you found this lens helpful, please give it a "like." ~thanks~
The mask shown here was made for my Squidmercial application. You too can make a mask like this in a little over a hour! (see Making Masks with Sheet Foam) or check out my Giant Squidoo mascot head!
If you found this lens helpful, please give it a "like." ~thanks~
Table of Contents
mask-making quick links
Here is the listing of all the content features on this lens. You can browse down the whole thing, or jump right to the type of mask-making info you need with the links below.
Pre-Made Forms 1 - Full Face Masks
You can start a mask quick with a ready-made mask form
This mask was made using a store-bought mask blank. I know you've all seen this one, it's just a blank white face with two eyes, two small nostrils and a squarish mouth slit.I glued a handmade paper over the surface of the mask. The paper is black with little bits of gold leaf and tinsel in it. I trimmed the edges of it to match the mask once the glue dried.
Then I glued on a strip of maribou feather for hair. This went on even easier than the mask surface, as the paper held the glue better. Small pieces of gold webbing were glued over the eyes on the inside of the mask. A gold paint pen was used to outline the eyes and to paint the lips.
Artistically, I'm really happy with it. To wear, it's just ok. These masks only wear as well as the generic form fits your face. I find it gets kinda close and humid very soon in it. The eye effect is nice, but my own eyelashes brush the webbing when I wear the mask which is a little distracting.
Books To Help You Make Masks
One of the things that led to my choosing to study costume and makeup as a theatrical major in college was a class on mask-making. To help you with your artistic crafting, I've recommended a variety of books on making masks that run the gamut from playing dress-up with kids to serious stage-crafting of masks.
Pre-Made Forms 2 - The Half Mask
I made a second mask using a pre-made mask form, this one was just a half mask. I had a big hackle of maribou that I was all set to use, and fringe, so that gave the basic shape to the mask.For the mask face surface, I used Friendly Plastic. It heats up in hot water, becoming stretchy and then hardens again when it cools. I had a bunch of pink glitter FP that I got on sale or something, so I decided to use it for the mask.
The nice edge on the feathers and the fringe made gluing all the trims onto the plastic easy. The plastic stuck pretty well to the fabric-like surface of the mask, but I glued it in a few places for good measure. I glued fabric on the inside as a lining too.
Artistically I was happy with this mask, and it wore pretty well. The only thing was the plastic made the face part of it pretty heavy. It's not a mask for a long night out.
Masquerade
more about masks and wearing of masks
Learning about the psychology of masks, how different cultures make masks and things like that are part of what can help you decide on what sort of mask to make and help you develop designs that really connect with the wearer.
Making Papier-mache Masks
Papier-mache is cheap, lightweight and strong for mask-making
Wanting to make masks that fit better and where I could design all the facial features, I turned to papier-mache to make my mask bases. Since I was taking a mask-making class in college, I got to make a plaster cast of my face.Once I had the cast sculpture of my face, making a mask form became a case of putting plasticine on the casting and then sculpting it into the face I wanted the mask to have. By working on a form of your own face, you automatically have the fit working.
Once the sculpture part was done, the papier-mache was made using torn brown paper grocery bags and a mix of 50/50 Elmer's Glue and water. You want to tear the paper bags into small pieces. DO NOT CUT THE PAPER BAG. You really need the torn, rough edge to make successful mache, a cut edge won't dry flat and your mask will have little ends curling up all over it. By overlapping these little torn bits of paper, you actually wind up building a very strong and lightweight structure.
Papier-mache masks can then be painted with gesso and sanded (you'll need to do a few coats) which will make the surface totally smooth and blank, ready for any sort of art finishing. I've also done masks where I used tissue paper, and the mask coloring forms naturally with the application of the colored tissue paper. Masks like that take a LOT of layers to be strong enough. Handmade papers from Japan and India are fantastic for mask-making.
The half-mask here was built of grocery bag papier-mache and then painted with an acrylic paint to seal it against moisture as well as decorate it. A tiny round of feathers, meant for hats, was cut in two and the pieces were glued into the deep eye sockets to make the wild eyelashes.
I will mention one mask I made this way where I didn't hardly build up the features much from my own. The finished mask fit so tightly to my own face, I couldn't move it hardly or talk while wearing it, so don't be afraid to exaggerate those facial features a bit more. It makes for a much better mask wearing experience.... LOL....
Construction Tips & Tricks
- Making Masks for Halloween... or Anytime!
- Making your own mask can be as simple or complex as you make it. Here are some suggestions for how to make a mask from paper, using a blank, shaping leather or casting with latex.
- Props a.k.a Masks
- A good mask is very difficult to make but very rewarding. Don't be afraid to make
mistakes or take risks and above all don't be precious with your work. Masks as tools
of performance. - khmer mask making
- The odd football-shaped cement forms lying on the ground are moulds for the faces of the characters of the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana. There is the monkey Hanuman, and elsewhere, a yeak or demon, their faces curiously turned inside out through the logic of mould-making.
- MASK MAKERS WEB :: - the site for mask makers and mask lovers
- - the site for mask makers and mask lovers
- Latex Mask Central
- LatexMaskCentral is the web's most extensive, complete and dynamic site dedicated to quality latex masks. Archives, interviews, How-To's, Contests, Message Board, much more
- MENDEL'S - Mask Making
- The main thing that you need for the base of the mask is the gauze. This gauze is impregnated with plaster. It comes in rolls, about 3" wide. You need a willing participant, plaster impregnated gauze (about 1 roll per adult face), a bowl of water and vaseline.
- Mask Makers' Paradise by Special Effect Supply Corp.
- Mask making requires basic experience with sculpting, mold making and casting. These three skills most often used in creature special effects. There are many things a person learns through basic experience, practice will give you the confidence to meet any mask-making challenge.
- Build your own Gas Mask from computer parts.
- Build your own Gask Mask from computer parts. Can't you buy expensive gas masks? Do you need one? are you a computer geek? If you answered yes to this three questions, then this is your page!
- "Maskmaking in the Twenty - First Century"
- Maskmaking, what exactly is that? It is one skill of the theatrical costume or properties makers. It is a quasi-spiritual process employed by many native cultures to make their mysterious gods manifest.
- i Sebastiani - Mask-making
- We have some experience making masks but we'd be loath to call ourselves experts.
- Mask-making - tribe.net
- For sharing information about making masks
- This to That (Glue Advice)
- How to glue this to that (Lensmaster note: This is an incredibly useful site for crafters!)
- IDENTI-TAPE® Inc.
- IDENTI-TAPE® Inc. specializes in all kinds of colored tapes. If this site doesn't have the tape you need, then it doesn't exist.
- Fellers Arts Factory
- Wonderful books that are templates for making tons of paper masks. Plus info on storytelling, workshops and more.
- Maskmaking with Plaster Bandages
- A lesson plan for 5th graders - easily modified for any student, age 8 or older. By Michael Delahunt
- Mask Making Ideas and Instructions
- To make a good mask of your creature, it's important to take some time to make a plan. The plaster face mask is often just the base, to which we add ears, horns, beaks, and noses.
- Lesson: Making Masks
- Merging ancient and contemporary art, this lesson examines the significance of mask-making in the past and present. A great starting point to larger projects, or a fast exploration for the less patient.
- Mask Making by Crede Calhoun
- Making masks is a great way to have fun and learn about three dimensional sculpting and painting. You can make a mask from cardboard or other materials but the best way to start is with paper mache.
- Heart-Shaped Animal Masks
- Put on a lovey-dovey face with these adorable animal disguises
- Fly Mask Craft
- Instructions to make a fly mask using egg carton cups.
Making Masks with Sheet Foam
aka mask-making for eyeglass wearers
For most of my years of mask-making, I tended to make masks that didn't fit over my glasses. However, I got tired of not being able to see where I was going, and I'm really more of an eyeglass girl than a contact lens girl.I was sitting in on a class on masks given at a WesterCon when the topic of using sheet foam for making masks came up. The foam is lightweight, slightly cushy, flexible and can be molded a bit when heated using an embossing tool that blows hot air. I hadn't used this material for masks before, but I was determined to when I got home from the convention.
This is the second foam-based mask that I've made, and it took me about an hour and used less than $5 worth of materials! I enlarged the Squidoo logo and traced a paper pattern to get my shapes. I glued those bits together with a glue that works on foam. Then I used markers to add the details and taped the mask onto my own eyeglasses! If you don't wear glasses like I do, it would be easy to glue this sort of mask onto a pair of cheap sunglasses with the lenses snapped out.
If you'd like step-by-step instructions of how to make a mask like this, click to read my tutorial.
The Big Giant Squid Head
I got this project as a commission from Megan Casey, to be a surprise for Seth Godin. She wanted a big mascot head that looked like the Squidoo logo to mark Squidoo hitting the 400,000 published lens mark. I just couldn't resist the challenge.
If you'd like step-by-step instructions of how to make a mask like this, click to read my tutorial.
mm-Ask Away!
comments and contributions
Are you a mask-maker too? Got a question about making masks? Share your tips and tricks, or ask for help with a mask here!
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Steph_Tietjen
Feb 22, 2012 @ 1:30 pm | delete
- I've made lots of masks in my time, I used to do paper mache a lot. Your mask photos are super! Great information here. Thanks
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ernad18
Jan 20, 2012 @ 3:24 pm | delete
- nice mask. interest
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---Chazz
Oct 2, 2011 @ 12:55 pm | delete
- Really enjoyed this lens and especially the squid mask photos! Blessed on the Squidangel Halloween Quest! Your lens is featured on the Halloween section of "Wing-ing it on Squidoo," our tribute to some of the best lenses we've found since donning our wings.
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veryirie
Oct 1, 2011 @ 1:25 pm | delete
- Your big giant squid head is super cool! Making a mask is something I haven't tried yet, but the info here would definitely help. Great job! :)
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karliencarter
Sep 26, 2011 @ 2:36 am | delete
- Hi! I want to make a particular mask for my friend (half-face)...it requires painting and lots of detail in facial features. Im an excellent painter, but I haven't really created a mask before. I believe paper-mache is my best/cheapest option? Do I mould my friends face? Or do I buy a custom mold? What simple ingredients do I use? I plan to have lots of practice runs!
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This So Crafty page written by
relache
Rae is a writer-artist-alchemist who delights in finding the extraordinary in the everyday and then sharing those moments with her readers.
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Maskmaking Kit
MindWare's Make Your Own Mask Kit
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 06/02/2012)
Have a Mask-Making Party!
Party Masks (Twenty to Make)
Amazon Price: $3.97 (as of 06/02/2012)
Get a bunch of friends and throw yourselves a mask-making party with this fun and easy kit!
