Making It: Programmes 16–26
Programme 23: Dylan and Friends Create Masks

Aims

After watching the programme and participating in the activities, pupils should be able to:

measure, mark out, cut and shape materials
explore the sensory qualities of materials and how to use materials and processes
use finishing techniques to strengthen and improve the appearance of a product
communicate design ideas in different ways, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities and the use and purpose for which the product is intended
use information from a number of sources, including ICT
assemble, join and combine components and materials accurately
design and make assignments using stiff and flexible sheet materials and textiles
know how the characteristics of materials affect the ways they are used

Dylan and his two friends live in South Africa. They love watching wild animals. On a day out, they see a big rhino and some hippos playing happily in the river. This gives them the idea for some animal masks they can make when they get home…

They mix flour and water together to make a sticky paste. Next, they tear newspaper into strips. They cut large squares of cooking foil and press it against their heads to take a simple mould of their faces. Then they cover the tinfoil moulds with layers of paste and newspaper to make basic masks. When the paste and paper is dry, it's time to add details such as horns and ears, using scrunched up newspaper, cardboard tubes from kitchen rolls and masking tape. Dylan and his friends paint their masks: a rhino, a hippo and a giraffe.

The tinfoil is taken out of the masks. String is added, so the masks can be tied on. All that's left is to creep up on unsuspecting people and give them an animal ambush!

Curriculum Relevance

English – drama activities
P.E. – dance activities
Art – investigating and making art, craft and design
R.E. – traditions, festivals and beliefs

Background

One of the oldest masks we know about was found in Mexico. It shows the head of a coyote and it is around 10,000 years old. Masks are a big part of many festivals and religious ceremonies around the world. Actors in Ancient Greek theatres wore masks to help audiences work out which character they were playing.

Some people think masks can cure illnesses, ward off evil or bring a good harvest. The Hopi people of the Rio Grande believe dancers wearing Kachina masks can bring rain. Buddhist monks in Tibet perform a New Year dance in skull masks, to scare away demons. In Mexico, everyone remembers their ancestors on The Day of the Dead, by wearing skull masks. The Bangwa people of Cameroon in Africa and the Zuni of New Mexico believe that wearing a sacred mask can transform you into a spirit with magical powers.

Masks have been made from many different materials: mud, grass, shells, feathers, wool, wood, paper, leather, silk – even gold. The Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, Tutankhamen, was put into his tomb wearing a wonderful golden death mask. The Aztecs, too, honoured their dead by making masks of their faces. In Europe, wax moulds were sometimes made of the faces of important people who had died. Masks like this were made of the English ruler Oliver Cromwell (1658) and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1827).

Today, Hallowe'en and Mardi Gras celebrations use masks. In Scotland, the winter tradition of guising involves covering your face with strips of newspaper. Many superheroes wear masks too. Think of Spiderman, The Lone Ranger, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – how many more can you name? Follow up the links from this site to see all kinds of different masks.

Activities

Make a Paste and Paper Mask

You will need: sheet of white paper, pencil and crayons; roll of cooking foil; newspaper; bag of plain white flour; jug of water; cup; mixing bowl; masking tape; cardboard; about 40cm of ribbon or string; scissors; paints and paintbrush.

On the white paper, sketch the kind of mask you want to make.
Mix a cup of flour with enough water to make a paste about as thin as runny custard.
Cut 2 squares of cooking foil large enough to cover your face.
Put one sheet of foil on top of the other and press it to your face, carefully moulding it to all your features.
Stuff the inside of the foil mould with balls of newspaper to stop it from caving in.
Dip strips of newspaper in the flour-and-water paste, and then cover the outside of the foil mould. You will need to put on at least 3 layers of paste and paper.
Let your mask dry out. This will take a day or two, if you put the mask in a warm place.
Add ears, horns, teeth or other features to the mask. You can make the basic shapes from balls of newspaper or cardboard tubes. Stick them in place with masking tape.
Cover over any extra details with more paste and paper.
Take the mask off the cooking foil mould. Carefully cut eyeholes in the mask.
Let the mask dry out again – then paint it.
Fix ribbons or strings to either side of the mask, so you can tie it to your face.

Make a Stick Mask

You will need: sheet of thick cardboard (eg from a grocery box); garden cane; sheet of white paper; tape measure; strong sticky tape; scissors; pencil and crayons; paint and brushes.

On the white paper, sketch the kind of mask you want to make. (Animals, monsters, or famous people are popular ideas).
Measure the length of your face and the width from ear to ear. Mark a cross on the cardboard, as long and wide as your face.
Use the cross as a set of guidelines and draw the mask shape onto the cardboard. The eyeholes should be placed along the horizontal line of the cross.
Fix the cane to the back of your mask with tape.
Cut out the eyeholes.
Paint your mask. You could add all kinds of other materials, such as wool, feathers, shells or beads, as decorations.
Hold the mask in front of your face with the stick.

Make a Cotton Cloth Mask

This mask is very light and flexible to wear.

You will need: mirror; modelling clay; square of cotton cloth (about 20cm by 20cm); sheet of polythene (you could cut up an old carrier bag); scraps of coloured felt or wool; about 15cm of thin elastic (or you could use a long, thin elastic band); needle; thread; pva glue; scissors; paint and brushes.

Roll the modelling clay into thin sausages.
Press rolls of modelling clay to your face, to outline the main features. You may need a mirror to see what you are doing.
Carefully peel off pieces of the modelling clay and re-assemble them on the sheet of polythene, to make a basic human face.
Lay the cotton cloth over the modelling clay. Gently smooth it into place, so that it exactly follows the shapes of the modelling clay.
Paint the cotton cloth with plenty of pva glue. Leave it to dry.
When the mask is dry, carefully peel it off the polythene. Gently pull the modelling clay away from the cloth. The folds of the cloth should now stand up stiffly because of the glue, making the shape of the face.
Trim the mask into shape. Cut out the eyeholes.
Sew the elastic band to either side of the mask, so that you can wear it.
Paint your mask. Mix a little more pva into the paint to make it easier to spread on the mask.
You could glue or stitch scraps of felt or wool to the mask to make features such as hairy eyebrows, or big flapping ears and lips.

Experiment With Materials

Try adding different materials to your masks. You could experiment with: feathers, leaves, drinking straws, seeds, cocktail sticks, stones, shells, dried flowers, ribbons, glitter, pipe-cleaners, corks, balloons, paper clips, buttons, zips, wrapping paper, tissue paper, wool, string…

Links

This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

Brilliant site with mask galleries, games and activities:
http://gallery.sjsu.edu/masks/menu.html

More masks to make:
www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/maskcrafts/

Mask museum:
www.mpm.edu/collect/mask.html

African masks:
http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/African_Mask.html

Ancient Greek masks:
www.parsonsd.co.uk/theatre/masks.php

Mask designs to download:
www.janbrett.com/activities_pages_masks.htm

Commercial mask galleries:
www.maskart.com/frames.html www.paragonmasks.com/
http://maskmaker.com/
www.anymask.com/inmas.html

Making It: Programmes 16–26 Programme 23: Dylan and Friends Create Masks