Creating a Mask- Prop creation Practical

Creating a mask- Making props practical

Inspiration
Through images on the internet I have found several images that have given me inspiration form my mask practical. The use of padding and shaping is very common but as those resources are not available to me I will be unable to use them. The images were inspiration as they gave me ideas as to what I was to include in my final design, by using different ideas from each of the picture I have seen. Although some ideas I have shown in the design are original there are others that are borrowed or adapted.

Method

To complete this practical I used waxed twine, a thin rope and an odd button.

I started with marking out where the eyes and the mouth would go with a marker so that I had some sort of guideline when I was making my mask. I then marked how much extra I had at the end of the sack so that I could cut the extra length off to sample my stitching and effects on.

I sampled stitching two sides of an opening I had cut out together and stitching on an unblemished part of the extra length. I found that stitching the two sides of the incision together was more effective as it had a messier look where the threads of the burlap would become loose and stuck up through the stitching. Although I preferred this method of stitching I chose the other method as I gave myself more room for mistakes as I could easily unpick the black twine and chose a different direction for the stitching to go.

Next I cut several different opening along the bottom of the mask, threading the rope through and making sure that it rested to the side with both ends coming out over the top of the burlap I tied a noose with the rope cutting off the excess rope and fraying it a bit to make it look older.

I first sewed the spare button in where I had marked one of the eyes to be, the thread had to be taped on the inside so it did not go through the large gaps of the burlap threads. I then cut the hole out where I wanted one of the eyes to be using the black twine to stitch unevenly around the socket before stringing it up and down the opening in vertical lines.

After completing this I used the guidelines to stich down the centre of the sack vertically until I reached the marking as to where the mouth is, I then finished the thread and sewed along the mouth line, going completely parallel to the top and bottom of the mask, this stitch continued around until I had completed it going from one side to the other meeting perpendicular to the vertical line.

Final Product

Evaluation

Whilst I was making the mask there was several issues that I came across whilst making the mouth, my first three attempts at different styles were rejected as they did not have the effect that I was striving for. The final decision with the mouth is something that I can improve, I feel like it wold be more effective if had made both of the eyes using buttons. Although creating the mask as enjoyable I regret not letting myself get more supplies to make the prop with as it could have been more effective if I invested more effort and time into it. I had sampled fake blood when I had sampled the other stitches, I found that the effects looked cheap and unrealistic, the blood taking on a pink colour when it had dried, because of this I did not include it. 

 Audience Feedback
I received feedback that was focusing on the shape of the mask, the use of the thread that I had manipulated could have been used along the top of the mask creating a more form fitting or circular mask. This could have made a better overall effect as the stiffness of the shape deviated from the actual face of the mask.