Mask Making Unit. 2013-2014. Venetian Style Mask.

At the beginning of the college year we had to get into pairs to make a mould of our faces with the intention of making a Paper Mache Mask. We made these moulds using 'Modroc' (Plaster of Paris bandages).
We covered our whole face with Vaseline, taking care to cover our eyebrows and eyelashes so they would not stick to the 'Mudroc'. We used the Vaseline to act as a releasing agent.
We applied the 'Mudroc' direct to our partners vaselined face, building up the bandages in layers, being careful round the contours, pushing the bandages into the creases of the face, and leaving the nostrils of the nose uncovered so the person could continue to breathe. We covered the mouth completely. We applied about 5-6 layers of 'Mudroc'.
When the 'Mudroc' was hard, the persons face it had been on, twitched their facial muscles and gently pulled the cast from their face. This cast formed a 'negative' mould for us to pour Plaster of Paris into to form our 'positive' mould from which we was to make our final Paper Mache Mask on.

(Pictures show the negative 'Mudroc' mould and positive Plaster of Paris mould and the 'donut' paper ring to rest the cast in)

 



From paper and masking tape we had to make a ring like donut in which to rest our 'Mudroc' mould. This is so it would balance without tipping over when we added the Plaster of Paris. We had to thoroughly and completely smother the inside of the 'Mudroc' mould with Vaseline, again concentrating to get into the nooks and crannies of the mould. This again was to act as a releasing agent as we were going to pour Plaster of Paris into the moulds.
We mixed the Plaster of Paris up in a bucket which we had added water to. We gradually sprinkled Plaster of Paris through our fingers and mixed into the water until it formed into a thick 'double cream' consistency. Once at the right consistency we poured the 'gloop' into the 'Mudroc' mould up to the lowest edge of the mould so it would not overflow and gently tapped the mould to hopefully remove any air bubbles. We left the Plaster of Paris to set hard in the moulds.
Once hard we had to remove the now solid cast from the 'Mudroc' mould. We gently pulled the edges of the 'Mudroc' mould away and due to the fact we had added Vaseline as a releasing agent, we was able to remove the solid cast from the mould.
Any air bubble holes we filled in with soft brown clay and smoothed over and any rough edges or uneven surfaces we used a Stanley knife to shave them off.

(Pictures show the air bubble holes filled in with soft brown clay and shaving the Plaster away around the nose with a stanley knife)

 

After the clay dried we were ready to cover the Plaster cast with strips of Paper Mache. Before doing this though we again covered the Plaster cast with Vaseline to again act as a releasing agent from the Paper Mache covering. We used approx: half water to half PVA glue ratio and I put on 8-9 layers of paper, this was to give the finished mask strength. We were also asked to make 5 tester strips, these were made with a strip of card and about 3 layers of Paper Mache added to the end. These were made so we could test our paint colours on before applying to the mask.



 

(Pictures show the Plaster cast covered in Paper Mache and the tester strips)

 

Once the Paper Mache had dried we had to remove the Mask covering from the Plaster cast. This proved quite difficult even though it had been covered in Vaseline. I did use a pair of scissors to work away around the edge of the Paper Mache Mask from the Plaster cast. Once I had released the edge significantly the mask did come away quite easily.

(Picture shows on left the Paper Mache Mask and on the right the Plaster cast)

 

Now I had the Paper Mache Mask I started to draw my design, which I had previously drawn, onto the Mask and cut away the pieces I didn't need using scissors and a stanley knife.

(Pictures above and below show the different stages of cutting out the design)

 

I cut away a fair amount from the bottom of the nose to allow the wearer to be able to breathe and made sure the eyes were big enough to be able to see and wear comfortably. Once I had drawn and cut away what was needed from the actual mask I then needed to add extra bits of card to the mask to continue to bring about my design onto the mask. I initially used for this the pieces of Paper Mache that I had cut away from the Mask. 

(Pictures show the Mask taking the design shape I had planned and how it worked and looked on my face)

 

I started to add contours to the mask before I had actually finished the whole completed design to see how it would look. I used pieces of rolled up paper and masking tape to hold these in place. I lengthened the nose and made it more bulbous.

(Above and below pictures show the building up of the contours to the Mask)

 

I have based my design and have been influenced by the film Labyrinth with David Bowie in. I love the grotesque Masks at the Masked Ball Scene and feel these have been influenced by original Venetian Carnival Masks. I still have a long way to go to finish my Mask.