Description

Masks have been used in many culturesandcivilizations since time immemorial to hide or to protecthumanfaces. These are remarkable objects, created by theimaginativemembers of traditional civilizations. The tradition ofmasks datesback to the early 6th century B.C.
It was used throughout the world. People from Alaskan culturesusedmasks along with drumming, dancing and story telling. Theyusedthen on many ceremonial occasions. However, after the influxofChristianity in the late 19th century, masked dancingwassuppressed and today it is not practiced as it was before intheAlaskan villages. Masks were also used in Japan and Mexico.Mexicanmasks are spicy and humorous. In Puerto Rico, there areVejigantemasks. These masks show a fusion of African, Spanish andCaribbeancultures. The Vejigante is an imaginary character full ofenergyand color.
In ancient times people used design masks. These masksweregenerally in the form of animals or other persons. Theseincludedceremonial masks, festival masks and theatrical masks. InmedievalRome people used masks to hide their promiscuity, becauseRome wasless populated and people knew each other well.
Common raw materials used for masks are clay, cloth,cornhusks,feathers, fiber, furs, grass, horn, leather, metal,paper, shell,stone paper, and wood. These range from simple masksto intricatecarvings, and from polished wood to mosaics and gaudyadornments.Nowadays there are protective masks like gas masks,catcher's masksin a baseball game and welder's masks to protectfrom the intenselight of welding machines.
There are fancy dress masks, horror masks which range from acidfaceto zombies, pop star masks like masks of Michael Jackson andMadonnaand political masks for political faces. Then there arecharactermasks for cartoons like Bob the Builder or Dora theExplorer, masksto make people look like animals, and more. Thestyles of maskscontinue to change, as they have over thecenturies.
Making a mask requires a lot of patience and a certain amountofartistic ability. Masks are lots of fun to make and can becomeagreat past time, which can also make you money in the process.Ifyou're retired and are looking for something to do in yoursparetime, mask-making can be the thing for you. The more masksyoumake, the more proficient you become. Who knows, you mayactuallybecome good enough to sell them.
Many people think that paper mache masks are messy to make. Onthecontrary, paper mache has come a long way. Of course you can doitthe old fashioned way with glue and newspaper strips but,nowadays,paper mache is mixed in a bowl just like you were makingdough. Itcomes in a powdery mixture which is a dream to work with.Once ithas been mixed, it holds the same texture as soft clay.It'samazing! Also, paper mache masks do not have to be lumpy andbumpy.Using this type of paper mache allows you to create a smooth,evenfinish.
There are so many varieties of mask designs which keepmask-makingfrom becoming boring, such as Venetian masks, Mardi Grasmasks,Carnival masks, Halloween masks, African Tribal masksanddecorative wall masks. You can add almost anything to amaskdesign. Decorative materials can include pearls,beads,rhinestones, ostrich feathers, peacock feathers, roping,bells,fringes, glitter, tassels, mirrors, stones, lace, sequins,satin,ribbon, etc. Of course you can also just get very creativewithpaint alone.
There are various kinds of paint you can use as well, such aspuffpaint, gel paint, metallic paint, acrylic paint, waterpaint,glitter paint, or just about any kind of paint you can findon themarket. Glitter paint works very well for Mardi Gras andCarnivalmasks because it offers a very festive look to themask.