How to Make An Incredible Leather Mask-- Easily!?

Answer 1

If you've ever researched leather masks, you've seen how appallingly expensive they can be. This is because leather masks last for years, and they make a stunning, comfortable topper for a costume. You can create a mask which will affix directly to your head by a headband, or one which is on a stick, like a classic costume-party mask, so you don't have to be behind a mask all night. This article is a tutorial on how to make your own, professional quality mask. You're likely to enjoy the process enough that you'll want to make more than one. For this project, you will need wire, air dry modeling clay, paper mache, shellac, a generous amount of vegetable tanned leather, scissors, an Xacto knife, leather stain or acrylic paints and paintbrushes, and an elastic headband or stick to use to mount your mask. Various metal tools like keys or knitting needles to give the wet leather a stamped texture are optional. First of all, you will need to design your mask. It doesn't need to be beautiful, but you do want to plan things out beforehand. Remember to make allowances for generous breathing holes and eyeholes. If you'd like to drink during the evening, allow for this as well. Once you have this figured out, you will need to make the foundation for your mask. Use the wire and air dry clay to create the understructure of the mask. This is not the mask you will actually wear, but the form you will mold the leather to, so don't worry about creating breathing holes and such. Let the clay dry as long as the directions state. The clay will probably crack, and this is what the paper mache is for. When the mask is dry, make a paste of flour and water to dip your shreds of paper mache material in. Let every two or three layers dry completely, so that your mask model doesn't grow mold. Use toilet paper paper mache to create the fine details of your mask. When it is finished, shellac the model with your waterproof gloss of choice. Once this form is dry, cut your vegetable tanned leather to size. Make it slightly larger than you plan for your mask to be, because it will shrink. Don't cut out the eyes or nose yet, just the outline. Now boil the leather for about half an hour, or until the leather stops hissing. Carefully place the wet leather on your mask. It will dry tightly against the form. Before it dries all the way, use metal objects to stamp texture into the mask, like scales or feathers. When the leather is completely dry, you can use the Xacto knife to cut out the eyes, nose, and mask. Paint your mask with leather stain or acrylic paints, and it is finished. If you've made your mold carefully, you will be able to use it again for many more masks in the future.