Several people have asked how we did the masks, so I'll save time by =
posting here rather than replying individually :-)
When I did this a few years ago, I simply had the kids liberally coat =
their faces with petroleum jelly and then applied the plaster gauze =
strips. One student, then, experienced some mild irritation to the =
plaster, and so when I did it last summer at the arts camp, working with =
younger students, I had them use vaseline, PLUS I covered their entire =
face with a damp paper towel. While this worked okay, we lost a lot of =
detail.
This time I sort of compromised--I had them cover their face with =
vaseline and then I placed small, dampened pieces of paper towels over =
their eyes--just there and nowhere else.
Fortunately this worked fine, and the 30+ kids that I did this to didn't =
have any problem. (WHEW!) But by doing it this way, we were able to =
get more detail. I really smoothed the strips in place around the lips, =
trying to get as much detail as possible.
I covered down to the bridge of the nose and around the sides, just =
leaving the nostril area open. Cracked me up--as I removed one girl's =
mask she asked, "Why are there holes in the nose?" DUH!!
As soon as the mask was off, I used a couple more strips to cover up the =
openings, pushing the gauze into the nostrils a little ways to get =
better detail.
In the instructions for the mummy masks, I said that I removed the mask =
from the top of the face first. Really, it depends on what works best. =
When it's time to come off (after 10-15 minutes), I gently start =
loosening it around all edges by sticking my fingers between their face =
and the mask, and have them tip their chin up. This seems to release =
its hold, and sometimes it's easier to remove it in that direction.
Major thing is to make sure they have enough vaseline on their face, =
lips and eyebrows before you start--this makes it much easier to remove. =
It's almost inevitable that some will stick to their hair, but....
Most of the strips that I used were about 1-1/2" wide by about 3-4 =
inches long, but I also used much smaller pieces, especially around the =
nose. All I had to use was cold water--I don't know if warm would speed =
up the drying time or not. I used about 2 layers of gauze--much thinner =
than that and the mask isn't strong enough; much thicker than that loses =
detail.
They're mounting their masks on 1/4 inch plywood that's cut to 12x18 =
inches. We've used a variety of methods to attach the masks to the =
boards, but since many are raising the mask off the board with newspaper =
under it and then plastering over this, the plaster gauze will help to =
hold it on, too.
About 5 kids really, really didn't want to do a mask and so they're =
doing sculptures of their hands. (Some kids who've made masks are doing =
their hands, too.) Again, word to the wise, DON'T WRAP THE *ENTIRE* =
HAND, CURVED FINGERS AND WRIST WITH GAUZE!!! ;-)
They really are having fun with this project and even some of my =
normally less than enthusiastic kids have come in after school to work. =
A big "whoo-hoo!" on that :-) Can't wait to see the finished products!
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<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Several people have asked how we did =
the masks, so=20
I'll save time by posting here rather than replying individually=20
:-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When I did this a few years ago, I =
simply had the=20
kids liberally coat their faces with petroleum jelly and then applied =
the=20
plaster gauze strips. One student, then, experienced some mild =
irritation=20
to the plaster, and so when I did it last summer at the arts camp, =
working with=20
younger students, I had them use vaseline, PLUS I covered their entire =
face with=20
a damp paper towel. While this worked okay, we lost a lot of=20
detail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This time I sort of compromised--I had =
them cover=20
their face with vaseline and then I placed small, dampened pieces of =
paper=20
towels over their eyes--just there and nowhere else.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Fortunately this worked fine, and the =
30+ kids that=20
I did this to didn't have any problem. (WHEW!) But by doing =
it this=20
way, we were able to get more detail. I really smoothed the strips =
in=20
place around the lips, trying to get as much detail as =
possible.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I covered down to the bridge of the =
nose and around=20
the sides, just leaving the nostril area open. Cracked me =
up--as I=20
removed one girl's mask she asked, "Why are there holes in the =
nose?" =20
DUH!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As soon as the mask was off, I used a =
couple more=20
strips to cover up the openings, pushing the gauze into the nostrils a =
little=20
ways to get better detail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If you missed the page, it's =
here:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.art-rageous.net/Self-ExpressiveMasks.html">http://www.=
art-rageous.net/Self-ExpressiveMasks.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Specific instructions (from a couple of =
years ago=20
when we made mummy masks) are here:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.art-rageous.net/MummyMask-LP.html">http://www.art-rage=
ous.net/MummyMask-LP.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In the instructions for the mummy =
masks, I said=20
that I removed the mask from the top of the face first. Really, it =
depends=20
on what works best. When it's time to come off (after 10-15 =
minutes), I=20
gently start loosening it around all edges by sticking my fingers =
between their=20
face and the mask, and have them tip their chin up. This seems to =
release=20
its hold, and sometimes it's easier to remove it in that =
direction.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Major thing is to make sure they have =
enough=20
vaseline on their face, lips and eyebrows before you start--this makes =
it much=20
easier to remove. It's almost inevitable that some will stick to =
their=20
hair, but....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Most of the strips that I used were =
about 1-1/2"=20
wide by about 3-4 inches long, but I also used much smaller pieces,=20
especially around the nose. All I had to use was cold =
water--I don't=20
know if warm would speed up the drying time or not. I used about 2 =
layers=20
of gauze--much thinner than that and the mask isn't strong enough; much =
thicker=20
than that loses detail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>They're mounting their masks on 1/4 =
inch plywood=20
that's cut to 12x18 inches. We've used a variety of methods to =
attach the=20
masks to the boards, but since many are raising the mask off the board =
with=20
newspaper under it and then plastering over this, the plaster gauze will =
help to=20
hold it on, too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>About 5 kids really, really didn't =
want to do=20
a mask and so they're doing sculptures of their hands. (Some kids =
who've=20
made masks are doing their hands, too.) Again, word to the wise, =
DON'T=20
WRAP THE *ENTIRE* HAND, CURVED FINGERS AND WRIST WITH =
GAUZE!!! =20
;-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>They really are having fun with this =
project and=20
even some of my normally less than enthusiastic kids have come in after =
school=20
to work. A big "whoo-hoo!" on that :-) Can't wait to see the =
