Introduction: How to Make a Mask for Free
In this case, I will be making a slipknot mask. However, it doesn't have to be a slipknot mask, it can be whatever you want since this is a general guide. My favorite band is Slipknot. I love playing their songs on my guitar. I decided to make a mask, but I just bought a new guitar, so I didn't have any money on me. So I used items around the house that I found. These items can be found in most houses, too.
Anyway, after about 20 minutes of work, I had made my first slipknot mask. It looks better than it does in the pictures, but I the flash made it look weird. There are a few dings here and there that I will take into consideration for my future masks.
If you make a mask, I would like you to show me it on the comments. It would be fun to see your own version of it.
Anyway, I hope you have fun if you make a mask and please feel free to comment and rate.
Step 1: Supplies
You will need:
Foil If you don't have at least 4 feet of foil, you will have to buy more.
Leather I found an old leather jacket and cut up the leather from that.
Zipper (optional) For my mouth I used some of the zipper from the old jacket, but you can do whatever you want.
Sewing Needle Get a large one for it will have to be sharp to sew up the mask.
Thread You will need thread the same color as your leather and some red thread as well.
Elastic Bands
Scissors A large, sharp pair is recommended.
Newspaper For the paper mache part.
Flour You will need 1/3 cup of flour.
Water You will need 1/2 cup of water.
Glue I used a glue stick.
Depending on what you want your mask to look like, you may use some other items.
Step 2: The Base Mask
There are two masks: The Base Mask and the Outer Mask that come together to form one mask. To make the Base Mask, get 3 - 4 feet of foil. Smooth it out on a table or something flat. Fold 1/4 of the foil down and smooth it out. Repeat this until you have a rectangle of foil about the size of your head. The folds do not have to be even.
Next, bite onto the foil where you mouth would be. This keeps the foil in place while you mold it around your face. Be sure to give detail to where you nose is and where you eyes are. Fold any extra foil around you chin and sides of your head.
Take the Base Mask off and with scissors cut out the shape you want your mask to be. With an exact-o knife (oops, I left that out of the supplies), cut out the eye(s). I made one eye. I chose to put it on the left so I'd get a good view of the guitar neck. You can use the exact-o knife to cut out a mouth.
Step 3: The Outer Mask
The Outer Mask appears once you have paper mache over the base mask. To make paper mache, pour 1/3 cup of flour into a bowl and stir it with 1/2 cup of water. Tear up some newspaper for the paper part.
Stick the newspaper in the paper mache and strip off any excess paste. The more paste left on the paper, the longer it will take to dry. Put the mask on a piece of wood or sheet of paper and put the paper mache strips on the mask. Smooth the newspaper out on the mask. Be sure to go around the eye(s) and mouth if you made one. Be sure to paper mache each side.
Step 4: Comforting the Mask
Set the mask on a piece of leather and trace around it with a pen. Cut out the shape of the mask on the leather. Rub some glue on the back side of the leather, then place the leather on the mask. Sew around the outside of the mask so the leather stays on the mask. Sew around the nose so the leather will shape around the nose. With an exact-o knife, cut out the shape of the eyes from the leather. Get the leather and repeat on the other side.
Next, cut out a piece of the zipper and glue it onto the mask where the mouth is. Then sew it on.
Step 5: Add-ons
I made a few stitches where the missing eye was with red thread. I did this by making three lines with the thread, then getting another piece and making three more lines crossing over the first lines. It ended up not looking too good, but at least it filled in the empty space.
Step 6: Adding the Elastic Band
This is pretty simple. Turn the mask over and cut two slits close to the eyes. Feed the elastic band into the slit, then tie it into a knot (no, do not make a slip knot). Test it to see if it fits around your head. If it does not, untie the band and get a longer one.
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64 Comments
13 years ago on Introduction
slipknot is a copy of mushroomhead
Reply 7 years ago
Except slipknot is good. They have one vocalist who also is good and can sing again good. Nobody crappily raps and James Root is one of the best guitarist on the planet so yeah basically the same. I mean slipknot songs are good and Corey's lyrics are amazing. Mushroom head is just terrible. The one guy who sings is just terrible and the other guy who screams and rants is just the worst. They all basically have the same costumes, very elaborate and creepy. I'm not going to lie, that is well done. Except for the one guy who just decided to let his band mates look awesome while he wears raccoon makeup. But yeah. Your almost right.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Indeed
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
no...theres a lot of bands who wear masks and slipknot is different because they all have different masks
8 years ago on Introduction
So cool! Two questions. One, did you get the zipper actually working, or is it just for show? And two, could you use any other type of material, or just leather?
8 years ago on Introduction
http://craftcompulsion.blogspot.com/2015/01/hot.html
9 years ago on Introduction
I did fine until this step: "Next, bite onto the foil..."
10 years ago on Introduction
good start, should do a full head - kinda luchador style!
10 years ago on Introduction
Maggot forever! I just made one out of latex!
14 years ago on Introduction
instead of doing so many steps, why can't u just cut out some leather, eye holes and tie it around your head? as in, what does the other stuff do?
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
That would seem reasonable, except that it wouldn't work (so its not reasonable). The foil makes the shape of your chin, nose, lips, etc. Leather alone would be flat and pretty much featureless. The paper mache holds the shape of the foil and the overall mask so that the mask still has its features, even when its not on. Finally, the leather tops it all off to make it look cooler. But I see where you were coming from and I wanted to point that out.
13 years ago on Introduction
(slipknot masks)
13 years ago on Introduction
some time i will show every one how to make all there mask's :D
13 years ago on Introduction
Do U know how to make the mask of Mick Thompson? Restecp! all this is "wicked"! \m/ "metal is my game"
14 years ago on Introduction
okay, that is an opinion
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
just sayin' runs off to listen to Paridise city
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
yeah, whatever... *runs off to listen to Duality*
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
*Cough*
*feuer frei*
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Slipknot is awesome and the Jonas Bros can (random explicit mumbling) Best song is The Nameless... I have all there CD's (on iPod) and can recite all the band members and there instruments and there Cd's from memory. I am also working on obtaining Crowz (2nd Cd from MFKR, also unreleased)
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
do you have mfkr with donnie,anders,josh and the gang?