Halloween Mask Making!

Last year before Halloween, I was not sure on what I was going to be. I decided to make my own mask using casting materials and than decorate it which ever way I wanted afterwards. For some reason I have a fascination with pigs, so I decided to make a pig mask. The next part will explain how to make the base of your mask so it will fit your face perfectly.

Things you will need:
-Roll of plaster impregnated gauze strips,  Rigid Wrap Plaster Gauze

-1 Cup of DRY Plaster Of Paris 8 Lb. Tub: White

-2 bowls 

-warm water 

-petroleum jelly or any thick moisturizer

-scissors 

-paper towels 

-cloth head band 

-old shirt

-clean up soap & towel 

-mirror  

-a comfortable chair with table (or I just laid on the floor)


Try having a partner helping you. It really makes everything go a lot easier!

Instructions: 
1.) First put the head band over your hair line. You can also lay a towel over your hair, just make sure no hair is on your face.

2.) Cover the person's face with a thick coat of the jelly or moisturizer. This is so the mask won't stick to your face when trying to take it off. I have also heard of people using plastic wrap to cover their face, but I have never used it.

3.) Mix the plaster and water together and cover the gauze strips (one at a time) with the plaster mix.

4.) Lay the strips around the face, and eventually covering the whole face. Make sure you leave wholes on the nose for the person to breath. Depending on how you want to mask to look, you can cover the eyes or leave them, and you can make strange mouths.

5.) Let the mask dry or dry long enough so you can remove the mask safety off the face without breaking it. It should come off very easy if you put the jelly cream on your face thick enough. Don't forget to wash your face with warm water afterwords!

6.) You can add more plaster on the mask to make it smooth if you like.

7.) There you have it, a mask that will fit your face perfectly.

After I made my mask I cut out two pig ears from pieces of cardboard. I than took some of the left over gauze and plaster and covered them, giving them depth. Once the mask and ears were dry I used a glue gun and more gauze and plaster to attach them together. I than found some left over clay from my past projects and covered my mask with it. I had no way of drying the clay so I cracked all over with pieces falling off. Some would have taken all of the clay off and called it a mistake but for myself I thought it looked really cool! I took some Mod Podge and covered the mask. Once it was dry it kept the clay together with a cool looking effect to it. I found some small pieces of tin foil and glued those on my mask for some design. I than had to figure out a way to keep my mask on my head.

I began making material dreads. I took scrap material and sewed them into tubes. I stuffed them with recycled news paper to keep their shape. I than took all the loose dreads and sewed them to one solid piece of material that I sewed all around the top part of my mask.

This is my finished product! I loved making this mask. It was so much fun! I am looking forward to doing it again soon and I know you will enjoy making your own mask to!