UNCLE
ELIOT'S
COULDN'T-BE-SIMPLER
MAGIC METHOD
OF MAKING YOURSELF
A W O N D E R F U L F A C E M A S K
OUT OF A PAPER BAG!!!
1. Put the bag on your head and roll up the bottom edges until the "top" of
the bag (which is actually its bottom, but you've got it upside-down at the
moment) is snugly on the top of your head. Now take off the bag and cut away
the rolled-up excess. It now should cover your head and neck down to the
shoulders.
2. With the bag on your head, using a crayon or any soft marker, mark the
the two spots on the bag that lie just where your eyes are. Take off the bag
and cut little holes or slits there.
(NB--although you see through these holes, they do not have to be the
mask's eyes. They could be nostrils or pimples or nothing at all. They could
be invisible in the context of the general design of the face. Don't tie
yourself down to putting the mask's eyes where your own eyes are--unless you
want to. Your mask may have only one eye, or three eyes, or none.)
3. Create the contours of your mask. CONVEX: Cheeks, nose (big or small),
bulging eyes, chin (single or double), lips, brows, bulging forehead, etc.
CONCAVE: Creases, folds, moles, small tight eyes or twinkly eyes, thin lips,
etc.
a) For concavities: Bunch, twist, or fold small areas inside the bag,
then tape them against the surrounding inner surface--like soft sculpture. This
creates dents or creases on the outer, visible side.
b) For convexities: Bunch and shape small (dry) wads of torn
newspaper and tape them to the outer surface of the bag with masking tape. No
need to be precise. When done, cover the entire face of the mask with one
single layer of papier mache in order to make it one continuous surface. This
blends the features together visually into one expression. Drying may be
speeded by means of a blow drier or a light bulb.
4. Paint the whole face with gesso or a light color. A second coat may be
needed. Highlight very sparingly with other colors. Less is more. The SHAPE
of the mask contains most of its feeling. Defining too much by painting may
LIMIT expression.