I started a new paper mache mask from Star Wars. I hope the movie studio doesn’t mind too much. Wollivan is an Interstellar scout who was seen in Star Wars Episode VII, The Force Awakens, according to Wookieepedia.
This is just the first step in the mask-making process – the paper mache will be next.
OK, I admit that I’m not a huge fan of the franchise, but only because all the fast-moving spaceships make me a little car sick. But this fellow – what’s not to love? He’s got the eyeballs of a chameleon and the snout of a tapir from South America. How fun is that?
This is a reader-supported site. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks for your support! :) African Animals Pattern Set.
Save $10 when you buy this three-pattern set. Use the patterns to create memorable gifts, or to bring a little bit of Africa to your own home
In this video you can see over my shoulder as I put the clay onto the head form. In the next video I’ll add the shop towel mache, and then make the wrinkles with kitchen paper towels. Once he’s been painted pink, he’ll be done.
You can find my mask book here: http://goo.gl/McFp8L
And a lot of people have asked me where I found my head form that I’m using in this video. I ordered it from amazon.com – you can find it here: http://amzn.to/2dSHVkv
I put those two screws in the clay so I’d know where the human eyes are – you probably already figured that out, but I thought I’d mention it. And I used petroleum jelly over the plastilina modeling clay, which helps smooth the surface. It will also make it easier to get the dried paper mache off the form. I started with a five-pound block of the clay, and used almost all of it. When the paper mache is dry, I’ll be able to use the clay again for another project.
I like this clay because it’s soft and you can move it around easily. You wouldn’t want to use it for a finely-detailed sculpt that would be used for a mold, because it’s too soft for that. However, for this purpose, you don’t want too much detail. The paper mache would hide really small details, anyway.
Halloween is coming up soon – have you made your mask yet? If you have, I hope you’ll show it off in the comment section below.
Hi!! I was wondering if any of these masks would be able to be thrown on the ground and crumble/produce dust. I’m working on moving art piece and I would need to be able to break the mask/rip it/smash it. If you have any suggestions on how to do this, please let me know!
I don’t know of any form of paper mache that would crumble into dust, the way you need it to. Paper mache is actually quite strong. You could stamp on one and flatten it, but that’s about it. If you use the newspaper and paste technique and only use a few layers, you might be able to rip it. No dust, though.
One way you might do it is to make a silicone mold first, and then make a very thin-shelled mask using plaster of Paris. You’d need to handle it pretty carefully, because it will easily break- but that seems to be what you’re looking for. You could make it just a little stronger by adding one layer of cheesecloth layered with the plaster. That might keep it from breaking before you’re ready – although it could also keep it from breaking at all. You’d need to experiment.
Jonni, can i ask where did you get your mannequin head from? thank you, your new fur baby is going to be quite a character very beautiful a friend for life 🙂
Hi Rosemary. I found the mannequin head on amazon.com. You can find it here: http://amzn.to/2dSHVkv
The head is hollow, so I put a plastic bag inside the bottom hole, filled the bag with sand, and closed off the bag with a rubber band. The bag stays inside the head very nicely, and gives it enough weight so I can push on the head while sculpting without knocking it over. And it’s a real adult head size, too – most plastic mask forms are too small for adults.
My kitty thanks you for the kind thoughts. She’s quite a character, and loves to help. 🙂
So glad to see you have a new kitten in the family. Life without a cat is not worth living.
So true. But this new one is so different – my old cat was slow, not terribly bright, and liked to cuddle. This one is fast, a little too smart, and would rather run around the house at 50 miles an hour than sit on my lap. We’ll get used to each other, though. Eventually … 🙂