These I made as examples for a proposed, one day course in paper mask making for adults at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2010. I had to devise a method that would achieve quick results so that students would leave with a completed mask, which they could then decorate at home.
The basic structure was formed simply from rolled up sheets of newspaper joined using masking tape. Extra features were added using more newspaper in tubes or scrunched up and cereal packets to create sharper lines… etc. Unlike Papier Mache, which can take a long time to dry, gum strip was perfect for creating a skin as it becomes adhesive when damped and dries quickly. Here are three masks at various stages of completion. The mouse was made by my partner while I made Anubis (the dog head) and the eagle.
