Mask Making with Paper
1. Take a local newspaper and cut it down to either the size of a piece of construction paper page (about 9 x 12 inches). If you are using poster board you can make a bigger mask.
2. With a marker, make a basic outline of the mask's head. You can make a full face mask or a half face mask. A half face mask leaves the jaw open so you can talk and be heard.
3. Cut out the mask. Don't worry if both sides are not the same. Later on we'll fold the mask in half from forehead to chin and cut both sides at the same time.
4. Hold the mask up to your face and ask a friend to mark where your eyes and your nose is under the mask.
5. Take off the mask and fold it in half, forehead to chin. Cut out the nose and try it on. You want your nose to stick out through the mask so you'll be able to breathe.
6. Now, with the mask still folded in half draw in an eye. It doesn't have to be huge or shaped like an eye, it just has to be in the right spot. Here's the tricky part. Fold the whole mask in half again, centering it on the middle of the eye. If you do this right, you'll be able to make one cut-out that will cut both eyes. See attached picture.
7. Try on your mask. You can make adjustments, or make a second mask or start all over. Look in the mirror to see how it is going to look.
8. When you have a good newspaper mask, it's time to transfer it over to the construction paper.
9. Fold the construction paper in half so the mask (which is already folded in half) will fit on the page. Line up the 2 folded edges. Trace the outline of the mask and the opening for the eyes and nose.
10. Cut out the construction paper mask around the outline but DO NOT CUT OUT THE EYES AND NOSE YET!!!
11. Now, before you cut out the nose and eyes look at the pictures. What I do is cut the bottom of the nose and then slit the nose from the bottom to the top. Then fold the nose triangles outward. That way I have something on the mask I can use to glue on the mask's nose.
12. You can do the same thing with the eyes if you want to attach anything to the eyes. Remember to fold the mask again over the middle of the eye so you can cut out both eyes at the same time. You can cut right through the middle of the eye, slit the eye and then fold back 4 little triangles on each eye.
13. Now you need 2, 1 inch strips of cardboard,
or oak-tag or heavy cardstock paper that's long enough to wrap all around your head (and then some). Measure them around your head, mark where it meets and glue the strip to itself. DON'T CUT IT EXACTLY TO FIT. YOU NEED IT TO OVERLAP SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO GLUE.
14. After your head band is dry put it back on your head. Take the second strip and fit it over the top of your head so it meets the headband at your forehead and behind your head (It's best if you have someone to help you with this step too). Glue the strip in place. When it's dry you can trim off the excess, or you could use it as part of your mask design. Let this dry.
15. You can now decorate the mask.
- You can build out the nose by making a big triangle and folding the sides as flaps.
- You can make cones, cut off the tips and make big eyeballs.
- You can make cones, attach them to the mask's forehead for horns.
- You can take tissue paper and make a beard or eyebrows.
- You can take tissue paper and glue wrinkles into the forehead.
- You can take construction paper, yarn, plastic scrubbies or anything you can attach to the mask and make hair.
- You can do most anything - use your imagination!
16. Now put on your headband / hat thing and hold the mask in front of your face. Find the point where it should be glued to the headband and glue it. You can attach it on the sides or let it stick out.
17. Look in the mirror. Make adjustments! Make a second mask! Add other features! You can even add a second mask to the back of the first mask so you are 2 faced! There are endless possibilities!
