Make Your Own Mask Part 2

This Halloween, celebrate by making your own mask. You can even use it as part of your costume for trick-or-treating! If you need some inspiration, look back at the article about Venetian Masks and the article about African Masks.

Supplies Needed:

1 Round Ballon
Pencil
Masking Tape
Papier Mache (Please read the article Create Your Own Papier Mache Sculpture)
Newspaper
Scissors
Paints
Paintbrushes
Elastic


Blow up your balloon until it is slightly larger than your head. Tie off the balloon and tape the eraser end of the pencil to the end of the balloon. This will make it easier to hold the balloon.

Create your Papier Mache mixture. (Follow the directions on the Create Your Own Papier Mache Sculpture article.) Dip strips of newspaper into the Papier Mache mixture and attach to the balloon. You can cover the entire balloon if you wish to make two masks or just cover half if you only want one mask. If you make one mask at a time, you can create jagged edges if you wish. Lay two or three layers of newspaper over the balloon.

Let the Papier Mache dry over night.

When the Papier Mache has dried, pop the balloon. If you chose to make two masks, use a pair of scissors to cut the Papier Mache shell in half.

Use your own face to judge where to cut hole for eyes and a mouth. Decorate you mask any way you want. You can add a nose or a crown by gluing pieces of cardboard to your mask. Use strips of Papier Mache covered newspaper to secure anything you add to the mask. When you’ve finish, let it dry again.

Finally, paint your mask. To attach the elastic, poke two small holes on each side of the mask, one hole about a half an inch above the other. Tie a knot in one end of the elastic. Thread the other end through the bottom hole, from the inside out, until the knot catches. Then thread the elastic back through the upper knot. Pull the elastic across the back of the mask and thread through the upper hole, from the inside out, then through the lower hole. Make sure you’ve pulled the elastic tight enough to hold the mask on your head, then tie at knot at the end and cut of the extra elastic.

For another make your own mask project, click here.

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