Moishe/Carol "Where the Wild Things Are" paper mache mask

As we are big fans of the book, we decided that I would be a "Wild Thing" and my son would be "Max" for Halloween this year. The "Max" suit was handsewn and adapted from a pattern as well as the look of the suit in the recent film adaptation. The head was modeled from the art in the book, rather than the muppet-like creatures in the film. The idea came to me to create the head from wire and paper mache, faux fur, acrylic paint, and marker.

Step 1 Framing up the head

After a little thinking, I decided that chicken wire would work for the oversized "Wild Thing" head. I first formed a cylinder with a length of chicken wire, attaching the edges with pliers and wire cutters. Pinching the bottom together and flaring it out provided a sufficient "collar" for the mask. The top was bend and twited into shape by pinching the top edge together with excess .20 gauge wire.

Comments

[lindsey40]

great job, another thing you could do is paper mache in around a large paper lantern.

[sheshallbe]

My grandson will be Max(also in real life) for Halloween. I think it would be fun for his "funloving" granny to be One of the Wild things, though I think I would go with a big balloon for the base. That is what Ive used for mask making and pinatas in the past. Love the "realistic" capture of the character. Its even simple enough for me to recapture. Thanks

[caitlinsdad]

Nice, next time you make something like this, you can cut out the eyes or other openings and cover with material from pantyhose or tights. You can see from the inside as it appears opaque on the outside.  It would make the mask not as claustrophobic and that is what mascot costumes use.

[medalby]

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually did cut out a portion of the mask and tried attaching tights-like material, but the chicken wire frame showed through and decided that with the way tha mask fell on my face, the holes in the nostrils were sufficient...and invisible!

[Subconscionaut]

Q: is the Moishe for Maurice "Moishe" Sendak, or is that Carol's original name? also, if so, what are all of their names and how did you find out? I am a Max and when I was a kid I gave them my own names because I loved them so much. I'm glad they made a movie with respect for the book and his vision. Most of the things developed from kid's books are crass, trite, and lacking in depth.
(go check out the original "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs". It was a beautiful book illustrated impeccably...the movie? not so much.)
Your face is great, it captures the fun in his expression well and your Max looks like he's havin' a ball!

[medalby]

Thanks for the comment. The original names, as far as I can tell, were given to the wild things by Sendak when he was working on the opera adaptation with Oliver Knussen: Sendak gave the monsters the names of his relatives: Tzippy, Moishe, Bruno, Emile, and Bernard

[Very Interesting]

More Wild Thing talent, I love it!