Mask Making

I selected these three masks as inspiration because they were the ones I most connected with. I love feathers, gold, and detail. They each were so different, but all so beautiful. I liked how the last mask did not cover the whole face, the use of colors in the second mask, and the way the two colors stood out against each other in the first mask, and the way the different texture of the feathers made the beauty of the gold stand out even more.

1. This mask looks like one that would be worn to a masquerade. Around the mouth and the eyes looks smooth, where the rest of the mask has raised patterns. Texture is prominent in this piece.  It is a paper mache mask with tabby feathers. It was hand-crafted in Italy and has a baroque style. It is a Venetian mask. The feathers almost make it look like hair is attached to the face of the mask. The pink color of the feathers stands out against the gold, which also stands out against the feathers. The colors complement each other. The emphasis is on those parts of the mask while the mouth of the mask is just plain white. It is symmetrical. Although being unrealistic, the symmetry of the mask gives it a human quality.

2. This is a Hindu mask titled “Hanuman the Monkey God.” The mask does depict a monkey with human features such as the earrings. This piece is unrealistic, but is representational; representing the God. Its features are accented by patterns and colors. The patterns appear in rings and change through each new ring and each new color. The use of so many different colors and patterns emphasizes the entire mask, making the complete work stand out to the viewer. The shape of the chin also stands out, appearing to be a beard on the chin of a monkey.

3. These masks were made in Iran. The shapes of these masks hold the emphasis due to them being of one singular color and having no real signs of pattern and texture. They are half-masks that would only cover half of the wearers face. These are simple masks, revealing the eyes and also some of the forehead, possibly the eyebrows. These masks look much more artistic than a mask to be worn out to a party.

I wanted to add texture to the mask, so I cut out paper feathers and frayed the edges. I made the mask symmetrical to show humanistic qualities. The mask is shaded with light blue, and also some other light cold colors. I put a pattern on the top rim of the mask, almost as if on sunglasses. I added lines underneath the eye holes to add a sense of rhythm, as if they were waves coming to the shore line. I made this mask in a way that would represent me. I even put eyeliner on the mask in the way that I put on mine. The pink feathers are emphasized, being the only warm color on the whole mask. Blue is a very calming color, and I wanted that to be portrayed in my mask. I also wanted the mask to cover only half the face, but shape it in a way where the lines do not just form right around the eyes, but make it droop so that the mask covers the cheeks as well.

 I wish that I had paper mache or other materials to actually create a real mask; I would have liked to see if how I saw it in my head could actually be created. One of the hardest parts about creating the mask for me was shaping it. It was hard because my first two sketches were very weird shaped, and I did not want the mask to be overwhelming or super abstract. Overall, though, it was a neat experience.