Introduction: How to Make an Avant-Garde Robot Mask

Make a creepy robot plaster mask... without using Vaseline! Pose as a mannequin in shop windows, or hide in a closet and scare your friends.

Step 1: Materials

What you'll need for this project:

Plaster cloth roll
Scissors
Water
Aluminum Foil
Toilet Paper
Water
Glue (Elmer's)
Paint
Duct Tape

Step 2: Making the Plaster Mask

Get your victim comfortable and pour water on a plate, or other container where it will be easy to dip the plaster strips. If you're nice, you'll make sure it's warm water.
Make sure you have a pile of plaster already cut into strips at the ready. Size doesn't matter than much, but strips that are around two inches wide and three inches long are manageable.

Begin by dipping small pieces of toilet paper into the water and laying them over your volunteer's face. Make sure you cover the entire face, making the toilet paper about four-five sheets thick all around. This way is less precise than slathering the face in Vaseline, but it's a lot cleaner and has less of a risk of the plaster sticking to the face.

Step 3: Using the Plaster

Once you finish the toilet paper protective layer, then you can start laying plaster strips on the face.
Dip the strips in your water and run your fingers together over the strip to make sure it's not too wet.
Apply the strips all over the face, using fingers to blend edges together.
You can apply as many layers as you want, but just make sure the mask is at least three layers thick, or it will likely break once dried.

Step 4: De-Masking

Pull the mask off.
I know, exciting.

Give it the night to dry.
Once it's dry, you can pull the toilet paper off from the back.

Step 5: Adding Aluminum Foil

Once the mask is dry, get out your glue, paint brush and aluminum foil.
Cover the mask in glue and use the brush to spread it out and then add strips of foil, smoothing them over the surface. Paint over the edges so they stay down. It'll dry clear.

Step 6: Adding Whatever You Want

If you want to keep the mask clean and simple, skip this step.
However, if you want to have fun decorating, go ahead.
I painted on some teeth to make it look creepier.
You can also find loose wire and glue that all over the mask to add to the robot-ness.

Step 7: Making Straps

To keep the mask on your face, you've got to make straps.
Cut two long strips of duct tape and fold them in so that you have a strip of double-sided tape.
Make sure to leave a piece of the sticky side remaining on the end of one strip.
Then staple the strips to the inside of the mask, one on each side.
This way, when you put the mask on, you can pull the strips back and they're stick.
It's pretty easy to take on and off.

Step 8: Scare People

Wear your mask. Enjoy it. Be a robot.
(making a robot warrior helmet out of cardboard is optional)