Today’s post is going to be about how I make a mask that’s custom shaped to fit the wearer’s head.
This one is a helmet style mask that fits over the wearer’s whole head, and doesn’t require string or elastic to keep it in place. I make sure it fits by taking a mould of the wearer’s head and build the whole mask on top of that mould. I’ve heard of people making face moulds out of those plaster bandages they use to set broken bones, but I find ordinary kitchen tinfoil to be the best material for this job, not least because it isn't going to stick to anybody's hair. I simply take a double sheet of foil and fold it around the wearer’s face and head. Masking tape can be used to help make sure the foil keeps its shape. It’s also quite important to have a Sharpie on hand to mark where the eyes and mouth need to be. It can be hard to work out where the eyes are and it’s important to get the eye holes in the right place for reasons that should be obvious.
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| Mask mould from the front |
From there the mask is ready to be covered with a couple of layers of paper mache to give it some strength, and you can get on with making it look like whatever you need it to look like. In this case, it’s going to be a mask sized version of Bruce the anatomist’s head. My friend wanted a Baphomet mask this Halloween, but then he saw Bruce and decided that was the look he wanted. I’m very flattered, and really looking forward to making a mask version of Bruce. I’ll be blogging about the mask’s progress during October, as well as my own costume and various other things.
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| Profile view of the mask mould |
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