How to make masks

Paper Mache

Paper mache is a simple but messy way to create a mask, it is a very versatile medium. It is also very easy to make, you can make it with bits and bobs just lying around your house, all you need is water, pva glue and some sort of paper for example news paper or tissue paper. There are many different recipe's to make paper mache, none are better then the other.

Paper Mache recipes.

1. 3 parts water to one part flour

2. Wall paper paste add water until think and lump free

3. PVA glue mixed with water

Anyway is good, they all work as good as the next.

All the techniques are the same, put a layer of the mixture on the surface then put a bit of the paper and keep making more and more layers with the glues and the paper then leave to dry so it is rock hard, then you will be able to decorate how you please adding bits to it as you wish

Plaster

Plaster is a little more complicated to make a mask then paper mache is.But still works just as good if used correctly.

Equiptment.

• Newspaper / Cloth
• Bandage plaster
• Petroleum Jelly
• Water
• And a face to make it on

Directions

1. You will need to use news papers or a cloth to protect your work surface as it is really messy.
2. Cut the bandage plaster into strips
3. Get your model to lay down, it is easier this way
4. Rub petroleum jelly all of the models face espesialy on the hair line, eyebrows, eye lashes and in the creases of the nose, or it will be painful for the model when taking off and may even leave them with no eyebrows
5. Dampen one strip of the bandage plaster and place over the models face making sure you fit it into the contors of the face.
6. Do not cover the nostrils
7. Keep applying more and more layers untill no skin is showing
8. If skin can be seen then it is not thick enough
9. Have a break and leave it to set, but not dry up!
10. Repeate the same process again, taking breaks in between layers up to 3 layers, but not leaving to dry
11. Have another beak for the layer to set then begin to add any prominent features, for examlpe a bigger nose, big cheeks, eye brow bones etc...
12. Leave it to dry untill your subject feels itchy. At this point the model should gently being to move their face, eyebrows and nose
13. Then remove mask gently starting on the edged and graduly going to the middle untill it is completely off.
14. It is best to now leave it over night to dry completely
15. Then begin the painting and decorating

Tin Foil and tape

Equiptment

• Foil
• Toothpick
• Scissors
• Tape
• Ribbon
• Acrylic paint

Directions

1. Take 3 sheets of foil and overlap them in a stack
2. Put them on your face and push as hard as you can, without hurting yourself into all the contors of your face, becareful no to rip the foil while doing this
3. make sure you have the general outline of your face and all the feaures before removing
4. Ones the mask is off use a tooth pick to make holes for the eyes (if you want to) and nose, so you can breath.
5. Cut around to where you want your outline to be, be carefull not to squash it already
6. Cut small sections of tape and while pressing the mask to your face add the tape over it
7. Once tape is over all of your mask and feels strong enough to remove carefuly remove it and do the same on the back and edged of your mask
8. Make holes in the edge's of the mask to put through ribbon or what ever you feel like to use to tie it onto your head.
   

Face Paint

Face paint is alot different to the other mask idead i have shown, but it can still have a big effect. It could even be easier to make but in alot of ways it is more difficult. You need a stedy hand for detail.

There isnt really any instructions for face paint, you do with it what you want.