Also available individually for $12 each –
How to make your lion masks:

Print the pattern, stick it to cardboard, and cut out the pieces.

Tape the pieces together and add foam balls for eyes.

Add one layer of strong, fast-drying paper mache.

Bring your mask to life with acrylic paint (and maybe a mane)
My downloadable PDF Patterns come with full instructions.
There’s no waiting for your pattern to arrive, and no shipping costs, so you can start on your project right away.
Click here if you’d like to know more about how the patterns are delivered. (If you’ll be saving your pattern to and iPhone or iPad, they do tend to hide your files. You can scroll down this page to see how to find them.)
And remember – if you have any problems downloading your files or putting your pattern together, just let me know. I’m always happy to help. 😀
Approximate finished size of the adult lions. Simba, Mufasa and Scar:
About 10 inches (25.4 cm) high, 10.5 inches (20.32 cm) wide and 12 inches (30.48 cm) deep, not including the raffia mane.
The lioness and lion cub patterns are slightly smaller.
All of the patterns can be customized to fit the actors who will be wearing them.
Watch the videos below to learn more about the Lion King headdress mask patterns:
To make your lion masks you’ll need:
- Printer
- Copy paper or full-sheet labels
- Glue stick if using copy paper for pattern (the full-sheet labels are much easier to use)
- Cardboard from 5 standard-sized cereal boxes for each mask*
- Sharp scissors for cutting cardboard
- Tape, both clear plastic tape and masking tape
- 1 ½” (4 cm) Styrofoam ball, cut in half
- Aluminum foil
- Glue gun
Paper strips and paste (or use Titebond III wood glue, like I did – recommended, see video) - Spray primer – black for the back, and white or tan for the front
- Acrylic paint and matte varnish
- Golden brand Soft Gel Gloss and black tissue paper for the eyes (optional – see the video above)
- Black felt (optional but recommended). I had to buy a package of assorted colors, but one sh1eet of 8” x 11” felt is enough for several headdress masks.
- Raffia “Tiki Bar Fringe,” for manes. (One 24’ long skirt is enough for several adult male lion masks).
* If purchasing cardboard in place of the cereal boxes, it will be sold as “light chipboard.” The thickness will be about 24pt or 1/41 of an inch. Medium or heavy chipboard is too stiff to bend well.
More Lion King Headdress Patterns:
Have you made a Lion King mask that you’d like to show off?
Upload a photo or two on the Daily Sculptors Page. Our community would love to see how it comes out. 🙂
Some of the masks that have been made with patterns from the Lion King collection:
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Do you have a question or need help with your pattern?
If you have a question about putting your pattern together or painting it, leave a comment below or on the Daily Sculptors page. I read all comments and answer them as soon as I can, usually within a few hours. Some of my readers might ideas for you, too — we have a very supportive community on this site.


good morning
i’m from Zimbabwe I’m trying to pay for a couple of your lion king patterns by my payment is not going through. please help.
I’m sorry about the payment problems. A lot of people who don’t live in the US have recently been having the same problem, but it isn’t something I can help with. Your bank might be able to explain why it isn’t working. Have you tried using PayPal?
Hi Jonni,
Did you ever try the Titebond 3 glue with blue shop towels? I want to make a large, strong, lightweight puppet and I’m thinking of using those, over a clay form which will be removed. Going to do a sample but just wondered if you’d tried it.
I haven’t tried it, but I would love to know if it works. I know that flour and water paste doesn’t work well with the shop towels, but if you add just a little water to the wood glue, the towels should absorb it, and when it dries is would be quite hard. Theoretically, anyway. It’s a great idea for an experiment, so please let us know how it turns out. 🙂
What type of brown paper do you use? Could you use newspaper instead or is that too weak?
I just used the brown paper that comes as filler an Amazon.com boxes. My main reason for using it is that it looks better in my videos than newspaper with all the printing and photos on it. The brown paper is only slightly thicker than newspaper, so newspaper will work just fine.
I am new at this. I want to make a 12 to 18 inch santa, next to a chimney with a bag of toys on left shoulder. This is to replicate one my mother made back 1950s!
I have pictures and will try your recipe
Thank you for sharing.
Barbara
That sounds like a great project! I hope you’ll show us how it comes out – we’d all love to see it. 🙂
They look awesome! If I made one, I’d probably make one that looks like Simba’s daughter Kiara