Tiger Mask Pattern
For Paper Mache
$12
This Tiger Mask is easy to make with this pattern, some cardboard and a layer of paper mache.
You can paint your mask like a rare white tiger, the way I did, or give your big cat some bold orange and black stripes.
Then wear it as a headdress-style mask at a party or in a play, or proudly display your tiger sculpture on your wall. Either way, you can proudly say, “I made it myself!”
How to Make Your Tiger Mask With This Pattern:
Print the pattern and put it on cereal box cardboard. Then cut out the pieces and tape them together.
Add foil fur and foam balls for the eyes
Cover with one layer of paper mache, or paper mache clay. (See the video below to see how I used paper mache clay to make my tiger’s fur.)
Paint your tiger with acrylic paint, using your favorite tiger photo as a model.
Finished size:
About 10 inches (25.4 cm) high, 10 inches (25.4 cm) wide and 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) deep (when used as a wall sculpture, or 10 inches (25.4 cm) deep (when used as a headdress-style mask.
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.
Note: If you’ll be saving your pattern to and iPhone or iPad, those devices like to hide your downloaded 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. 🙂
$12
Watch these videos to see how to make your tiger mask:
To make your tiger headdress mask, you’ll need:
- Printer
- Copy paper or full-sheet labels
- Glue stick if using copy paper for pattern
- Cardboard from 6 standard-sized cereal boxes, or 12 letter-sized pieces of Light Chipboard*
- Sharp scissors for cutting cardboard
- Tape, both clear plastic tape and masking tape
- 1 1/2” (4 cm) Styrofoam ball, cut in half
- Aluminum foil
- Glue gun
- Paper strips and paste (or use Titebond III wood glue, like I did)
- Paper Mache Clay (for the face and fur, optional)
- Latex primer, spray primer, or acrylic gesso
- Acrylic paint and matte varnish
- Black felt if used as a mask (optional) or shoelaces to use as ties under the chin.
*If purchasing cardboard in place of the cereal boxes, it will be sold as “light chipboard.” Medium or heavy chipboard is too stiff to bend well.
You can find recipes for paste and paper mache clay by clicking on the ‘recipes’ tab at the top of this site.
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Do you have a question or need help with your pattern?
There are two ways to contact me: The fastest way to get an answer is to leave a comment below. I read all comments and answer them as soon as I can, usually within a few hours. One of my readers might also chime in to help – we have a very supportive community here on this site.
If you prefer to reach me privately, you can send me an email.
I get a ton of spam and I don’t want your email to get lost, so please put “paper mache” in the subject line so your email won’t be accidentally deleted. If you don’t hear back from me within 24 hours, assume the cyberspace gremlins ate your email, and try again. 🙂
Is there a way to adapt it so it would be wearable as a face mask?
The eyes aren’t in the right place, so it wouldn’t be easy.
Do you have a video on how to paint it as an orange tiger? ??
I have a video showing how I painted a baby tiger, but not an adult. You can see the orange tiger cub video here: https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/baby-tiger
how can i adapt your pattern to make the tiger snarling with mouth open?
You might be able to do it by leaving off the lower jaw pieces, and then sculpt the open mouth, teeth and tongue with aluminum foil and hot glue before adding the paper mache. The shape of the eyes and perhaps some wrinkles along the top of the muzzle would be needed, too. It would be challenging, but if you have patience it might work – but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
I have tried it a few times, and it works for me. Actually, what I do is sculpt the top of the jaw, then sculpt a tongue making sure it is long enough to attach in the throat (my tongues actually float in the mouth), and then sculpt the lower jaw. Last I do the cheeks. If you have any questions, I’ll be able to help in any way I can. An open mouth is a lot of work but worth it.
Is there a way to get the pattern in a larger size? My daughter is working on a Girl Scout project and needs the tiger head to be larger. These are just so beautiful, thank you for sharing your work with us!
Hi Laura. You can print them as large as you need. You’ll probably need to do that at your local printers, where they’ll have paper that’s larger than the letter-sized paper that the patterns are designed for. . Quite a few people have made larger masks and sculptures with their patterns, and they come out great. In fact, our friend Noah posted a giraffe head that he had printed larger, for his mom’s mother’s day present.
Good evening
Is there another way to find a tiger´s patterned face without paying?? Please let me know !!
I don’t know of any. You might find one if you do a google search.
Is there a pattern for the piece that goes on the head in the back and how to attach?
No, this pattern was made to be used as a headdress-style mask, not a mask that sits in front of the face.
I would like to make a Jaguar. Do you have a pattern that would work for that?
I don’t, no. I have a series of videos about making cats, though, and it talks about creating your own patterns. You can find the first one here.
I want to make this one. It looks like fun
If you make one, be sure to come back and show it off. We’d love to see how it comes out. 🙂
Hello I have questions why do you have to use glue all when your using joint compound? Wouldn’t just plane glue work?
Are you asking about the Elmer’s Glue-all in the paper mache clay recipe? If so, the glue needs to be a PVA-type glue, and the brand available around here is the Elmer’s brand. But I’m not sure that’s what you were asking – if not, please let me know.
These masks are awesome. These masks reminds me about my childhood days.
I can’t say this is the best, although I’m tempted to! (I mean, look at the wall.) It is dramatic. What surprised me in watching this video is that it looks great at every stage of the game. My first impression on seeing it painted was the blue eyes are a knock-out, but the design itself is powerful with character. A little Yellow Oxide (without the eyes painted) was beautiful. You could have stopped anywhere along the way, but it is spectacular. The stripes are lovely (and scary to think about painting)! Thank you very much. A masterpiece.
Thank you, Rex. I’m so glad you like him. I don’t like to play favorites, but I’m really attached to this guy. Now I have to move some of those other critters around to make room for him on the wall.
I was really nervous about painting those stripes, but when I found out that they don’t have to exactly match on both sides, and the stripes follow the contours of the face, that made it feel a lot easier. Jessie also suggested that we could get away with using less black in the stripes, and have them more brownish – there are a lot of white tigers with brown stripes. There’s even a color phase called a Golden Tiger. They look very different from white and orange tigers, but very beautiful. If I’d known about them last week I would have added them to the choices for people to vote for. If anyone makes one, we really want to see it!
That white tiger turned out so well!!!!!!!
Thank you! I’m so glad you like him. 🙂