Work on the unfinished Troll Screamers shown above as well as several NEW Troll Screamers will resume soon. I have several body parts ready to go for the new creations.

Sunday 28 March 2010

NEW MASK - PART 2

So with the final design specks noted time to get this mask finished or at least to the last stage prior to painting.
















I altered the width of the mask 'jig' or master copy to copy/build the mask on by replacing the bamboo skewers. A simple enough task taking seconds.






















Then i covered the whole thing in a single layer of foil to make the seperation of the actual mask from the master copy. I covered the foil in two layers of clear tape. Normally i would use plain masking tape for this task but my supplies are low at the moment. Clear tape will serve the task just as well. If you are intending to leave any tape within any project then masking tape IS advised here. Clear tape will not absorb the glue (any type) & therefore WILL create a 'loose layer' within your project creating a potential weak area or layer.

For THIS project however i intend to remove both the seperation layer of both foil & tape to reduce the final weight of the actual mask when finished. On most of my projects when i need to do this i would simply allow the project to 'partially' dry then remove the foil & masking tape layer. However since i want the finished mask to be as thin as possible removing the foil & tape from the mask will be - tricky. Also i have to leave the actual mask ON the 'jig' until the whole build is completed. As it is so thin (under 2mm) i need to know it has finally dried completely 'before' removal. Masking tape should i leave it as in this case to fully dry would become 'fixed' to the mask. Clear tape should release much easier dry or not.






















Two layers of very fine telephone directory paper to begin the actual mask build with. I will be adding three layers of 80gsm white printer paper over these starting layers.












































I added the first layer of chosen material to the two air vents before adding the three layers of white paper. Normally when i add my final layers of paper no matter the type i would brush the final layer of paper until the 'surface' of the final layer turns to a fine layer of pulp. As a rule especially with telephone directory paper & news paper this gives me a super fine coating that i can simply brush smooth with a pig hair paint brush & a final coating of 'undilluted' PVA glue.

Sadly as you can see white printer paper has idea's of it's own. For the second time with this project i am forced to do something very alien to my creation methods - Sanding it down!. Mercifully this is only a fine surface layer to be sanded so should only take a few minutes by hand.

So the next & final post for this project a look at how the finished mask turns out. from here to painting to wearing. The mask is in the warm cupboard with 'Sharky' right now for a few days to thorouhly dry out lol. More very soon on this quick project.

12 comments:

  1. Wow....A lot of work goes into this mask...Very cool....
    Thanks for the info for linking within your blog...i like it...
    i'm working on a painting which is taking much longer than i thought...but i'm liking it..
    Have a Great week....

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  2. adelesspookyart: The actual mask itself is easy & very quick to make project. For my sons first mask (was meant to be a ONE OFF - mask making per say is NOT my thing)i only used a simple weak cardstock 'jig' to make the final mask from. That took two days but 60% of that was waiting for paint & then a clear gloss finish to dry safely so the mask could be worn.

    I didn't keep the original jig so have to make a new one again lol. I made this one thicker & stronger so IF he wants another then i don't have to waste time building a new jig lol.

    Rushing any project will give you nothing but problems as i have give myself twice now (having to sand the finish down DOH!). Had i taken my time with this it would have been finished in 2 days as a rule.

    Don't you just love it when a planned project you think should be quick takes longer lol. Hope the painting comes together soon.

    Having a great week lol 'getting' plastered since Saturday lol. You too hun lol.

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  3. I really like where this mask is going. I'll have to try one for my own son, or grandson for this next Halloween.

    I can't wait to see this one on your son.

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  4. Luella: Lol this is more of a formal (Goth-like) wear anytime anywhere half mask. Very simple to make really. With some modyfications ie: cheeks, open mouth, fangs the 'basic form/shape' can easily become a half-something-else mask lol. The principle of the 'build' is such (as are most of my creations) that the methods & the final results can easily be transformed or used to create other projects.

    All you need to begin with is a simple flexable cardstock (serial box card) shape that will wrap around the subjects face (& fit of course lol) then build onto that some simple facial features.

    Tell you what i have to make a test project. A giant clam (around 8"/10" wide) for a mermaid/dophin water feature i started some time back. I will be posting how to make the clam this week with a bit of luck to show someone else how to do it too. Hopefuly by Wedensday.

    IF i get that done by mid week whilst i am waiting for my Troll Sreamers to dry out so i can paint them & whilst i am waiting for my plaster molds to dry out i will see what i can do about doing a quick mask making feature to show the simple principles behind making a quick easy mask. How does that sound lol.

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  5. hello Jonty,
    I would like to thank you for watching my humble work. It's a great honor for me. I'm seen you as a great master from whom I learn a lot. I follow your post but doesn't comment because I don't know write well in English. Forgive me for it, please. I admire your work and skills and your knowledge of papier mache.

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  6. Sounds great, Jonty. I'll be waiting for it.

    By the way, have you already painted the witch?
    I see she's green in the photo above.

    I'm pleasantly surprised. I guess I didn’t expect green.

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  7. Željka: Hi there. I watch a lot of peoples work. sadly time means i can't stop by long enough to comment much also.

    No need to appologise my friend. Just knowing i have helped someone create is all the hanks i need lol.

    I will stop by your way very soon.

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  8. Luella: She will be various shades of green when finished, that is just the first 'light' under coat. If you look at Sluggich next to her he is light skin tones on his front sections going through browns then moving into black on his back. The NEW Troll Sreamers will be similar colours but going into a dark brown on the back instead of black.

    As i grew up at first cartoon witches then T.V shows the witches were always shown as green. Peronally i like the thought of them that way myself. The wizard will be 'standard Troll colours' & the mummy well dried mummy colours etc lol.

    I am thinking a nice simple skeleton 'half' mask. Something nice & easy lol. More info very soon i promise lol.

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  9. All sounds good to me!

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  10. Luella: Cool lol. I will get right on it next week then lol.

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  11. Just getting back to your witch for a minute. Isn't it funny how our childhood insists on creeping into our adulthood now and then?

    What fun! I love it!

    Have a good evening my friend.

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  12. Luella: Oh i CAN honestly say that my childhood 'definately' changed me as an adult. Mercifully my insistance on asking myself 'WHY ME?' made me see things in a different light. Mercifully constantly wanting to know about the good things in life made me see into things i might have missed back then. Of course today i get to use all that knowledge too so some good came out of a bad time. All my new artistic friends have helped a lot these last 4/5 years too. Thaks everyone.

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