Mask Making Unit 2013-2014 (Continuation and completion)

In my original design my mask had horns that were quite curved. I decided to first cut the shape of my horns from fairly stiff card which I then added rolled up paper to and held this in place with masking tape. My drawing of the horns though onto the card was not as curved as my original design and I did not change this as I just didn't notice until I had added all the padding fixed into place. I decided to stick with the design I had just created due to the time factor I had for making this mask.

(Above pictures show original drawing of design and finished mask)

I fixed the horns into place on the mask using masking tape. I secured them as firmly as I could but knew that once I had paper mache'd them in place and once dry, they would be more firmer and secure.

(Adding the horns)

I continued to cut out the flame shapes for the other side of the mask from card and secured them in place with masking tape.

(Completing all the added shapes and adding a base coat of white emulsion paint)

By this time I had taken the mask home for a weekend to work on it, as my time was limited at college for completing the mask. Due to this and the fact I had not taken any news print paper home with me (that is unprinted), I used actual newspapers from home to cover the mask completely with paper mache layers to hold all the additions I had added in place.

Once dried I painted the whole mask with a coating of white acyclic paint to cover all the newspaper print, back and front.

On return to college I started to finish my mask off by colouring it following my original design as a guide. Whilst I was working on my mask at home I had an idea to cover the mask in layers of coloured tissue paper rather than paint it. I took in various colours of flame coloured tissue paper to use at college. I started by adding the red tissue paper at the bottom of the mask using glue, tearing the paper roughly into small triangular strips and built these strips up into layers using the same method as paper mache. I felt that the triangular strips would represent a more flame like appearance to the mask. I continued building up the layers in various flame coloured strips of tissue paper and covered the whole mask on the front.

(Adding the coloured tissue paper)

It was quite tricky covering the flames at the side and very fiddly and I had to tear the tissue paper into slim narrow strips that weren't to long and wrap these around the flames covering the back and the front. At this point I regretted having designed it this way but once completed it was to me worth the effort and time and I feel those flames did enhance the whole mask..

For the horns I cut wide strips of black tissue paper and glued and wrapped this in place, wrapping the whole strip around the horn in a spiral like manner, covering the horns back and front.

I decided to cover the back of the mask using the same technique of paper mache'ing coloured tissue paper onto it but this time in larger strips and not worrying about building up layers of colour or flame like appearance.

(Adding coloured tissue paper to back of mask and adding cord spiral to horn)

On my original design the large horns had a spiral ridge running up the whole length of the horn. After looking in the costume room for inspiration and materials I could use I chose a white cord to do the job.
I had thought originally that I would add this ridge by adding rolled up paper around the horn and held in place with masking tape and eventually covered with paper mache but decided I wouldn't do it this way as I wanted it to be uniformly even and not very thick.
I thought about painting the white cord that I had chose red but then decided to make it look and feel in keeping with the rest of the mask design I would use the same technique on the cord as I had used on the rest of the mask. I cut thin strips of red tissue paper and by rubbing my finger tips in glue I proceeded wrapping the red tissue paper in a spiral like manner around the whole length of the cord. I also dipped the cord once wrapped into the glue pot and smoothed the glue all over the cord. Whilst still wet I wrapped the wet, glue cord in a spiral like manner around the horn, starting at the bottom and working its way up to the top.

I finished the back of the mask with a piece of red suede type fabric I found at home to cover around the eye holes and across the bridge of the nose. I added this to the mask to make the wearing of the mask more comfortable on the face.

 (Completed mask)

During one lesson of our mask making unit we had to have another student hold our mask to their face and give feedback on the masks comfortbility. As my mask was made to fit my face exactly it did not prove to be entirely comfortable for the other wearer. I did not make any changes to my design though but made note of their comments. I kept my mask as it was, as on my face it did not dig in and I felt I could clearly see out of the eye holes I had cut. All these points are important in the making of the mask for health and safety reasons, as it is important to have clear vision and important that you can breathe and that the mask is comfortable to the wearer, especially if they are acting whilst wearing the mask and having to wear it for a long period of time.

My original design had curled ribbons dangling from the bottom edge of the mask but I didn't know how I would fix curls into real ribbon, so had an idea to use curling ribbon used on wrapping presents with. I took in some curling ribbon I had at home which were gold and red in colours and cut and curled them. I also took in some small plastic skulls to add to the ribbon hoping they wouldn't be too heavy to pull the curls out of the ribbon. As it is, the weight of the skulls did straighten the curling ribbon out. I also decided that the curling ribbon I bought in was far to shiny for my mask which was matt in its colouring. Having held the ribbons next to the mask and feeling that they did not enhance the look of my mask in any way I decided to leave this part of my design of from my completed mask.

I decided my mask would be held in place onto the face by elastic.

In the most part I think the original design of my mask worked well when transferred to an actual 3D mask. I felt the using of the coloured tissue paper worked well and this is a technique that I wouldn't mind exploring further to gain better finishes. After adding all the coloured paper and once fully dry my mask is quite a solid robust prop. I am happy with the finished mask and apart from the fact the horns weren't as curved as I would of liked them to be I am pleased with everything else. I could of easily re-made the horns but had decided not to.