Masks: The Adventure Continues

Because I have ADHD and a zillion ideas at once, I not only have Set in progress, but the Anubis and Thoth masks as well.

The Anubis mask is very similar to Set.  There was less of a gallon-jug armature and more foam board and screen.  I used the plaster-treated gauze to build up the primary shape.  Notice that the Anubis snout is more canid in shape and slant.

Meanwhile, Set has had his second coat of Celluclay, and I have trimmed the edges of the mask.  The edges of the mask have been finished with the plaster coated gauze.

Thoth has the head of an ibis, which has posed a very interesting conundrum in puppet/mask making.  Modeling articulation from a toy dragon my daughter got at the Renaissance Faire, I procured 1/4"heavy gauge wire and 3/8" clear plastic tubing.  The wire moves freely through the tubing and can be twisted to make the head turn. I

stuck one end of the wire into a styrofoam ball to help stabilize it once it's in the "head".


Using a quart plastic container, I fashioned a head.  The beak is made from jointed foam board, which has been stuck into the spout.  The styrofoam ball assemblage has been affixed inside.    While the first coat of papier mache was drying, I packed on the modeling for Anubis, building up the nose and cheeks.  At the very bottom of the nose is a piece of screen, intended to help with breathing.

I began coating Set with reddish brown ultra suede, which looked great except for the inevitable seams between pieces of fabric.  Because I have ADHD I could not stand to cover the whole thing and then figure out what to do about the seams:  I had to work that out first.  I ended up using acrylic gel medium to affix pieces of paper towel over the seams (like decoupage).  I Then started painting over them.  The result of this was most satisfactory.

The next projects will be making more modeling on Thoth's head and finishing Set's covering.  I expect it will talke Anubis at least two days to dry!