Masks are the mainstays of the Mardi Gras
gala. From fancy dress balls to street parades, and nightly parties -
masks of all sizes, shapes, colors, and variety adorn the
celebration.
And there's nothing better if you can surprise your friends with some
smashing variety of masks right out of here. Well, you have the
options. You can procure them free by clicking on the samples. Or, you can create some enthralling variety with the following
do-it-easy tips.
You need:
colored card
pencil
glittery pipe cleaners
Crêpe paper
adhesive stars
wooden skewer or garden stick
PVA glue & brush
Glue stick
scissors
pair of glasses, preferably eye-shaped ones
Paper doily
Place a pair of glasses on to the card and draw around them with a
pencil. Add on to your outline the fancy curves on both sides of the
mask. Cut out the card with scissors.
Apply glue to the front of the card with the brush and place a large
piece of
crêpe paper on top. Smooth out the crêpe paper. When the
glue is dry, trim around the edges with scissors.
Fold the paper doily in half and cut out the semi-circle in the
middle. Unfold the doily and cut in half following the fold line.
Pleat one half of the doily so that it looks like a fan.
Glue the other half o the doily to the front of the mask with paper
glue. The cut out semi-circle should be at the top of the mask. Draw
eye holds on to the front of the mask, then cut them out.
Stick colored paper or foil stars around the upper and outer edge of
the masks.
Ask an adult to trim any sharp ends from the wooden skewer or garden
stick. Tightly wind pipe-cleaners around the skewer to cover it
completely. Fix the skewer to the back of the mask with PVA glue and
leave to dry thoroughly.
Cut a rectangle of crêpe paper and wind a
pipe-cleaner around the middle to make a bow. Glue the bow on to the
mask, as shown. Allow to dry.
You could add sequins and glitter, or even paint
the doily gold to match the Carnival colors.
You can really let your imagination run wild when decorating your
Venetian Mask. The Venetians certainly do when designing their masks
for the Carnival.
You need:
Two paper plates
pencil
scissors
PVA glue and brush
Acrylic paint and brush
Raffia
6 paper fasteners
Electrical tape
Colored sticky tape
(any shade of purple or green)
Elastic
1 small plastic lid
Hold one of the paper plates up to your face and ask an adult to mark eye holes. Cut out the eye holes. On the back of the plate, paint your clown face. Allow the paint to dry.
Draw a triangular hat and bow tie one the remaining paper plate. Cut them out. Paint and decorate the hat and bow tie with paint and colored electrical tape or, you can use colored foils and ribbons instead. Finish the hat with a tassel of raffia. Attach the raffia with electrical tape.
To make the clown's nose, use the plastic lid from a tube of sweets or plastic juice container. Mix a little PVA glue into some red paint and paint the nose. When dry, glue the nose on to the clown's face. Use PVA glue to stick on the hat and bow tie. Allow glue to dry.
Push a paper fastener through a pan scrubber and position it near the top edge of the plate.
Push the paper fastener through the plate and flatten the fasteners. Attach the remaining pan scrubbers in the same way.
Make a small hole in each side of the mask. Tie the elastic to one hole, then fit the mask before tying the elastic to the other hole.
And the Coco is ready to don your face.
You need:
Nylon netting
1 balloon
scissors
masking tape
PVA glue & brush
Acrylic paint & brush
fake fur
1 tennis ball white
old newspaper
1 bowl
petroleum jelly
elastic string
Inflate the balloon and tie a knot in the end. Cover the balloon
with petroleum jelly. Make papier-mâché glue by mixing equal
amounts of PVA glue and water. Glue strips of newspaper over the
balloon to cover it. Do three layers.
Leave the papier-mâché somewhere warm to dry. When it is hard and
thoroughly dry, deflate the balloon by snipping off the top of the
balloon. Pull the balloon out of the papier-mâché shell and discard
the balloon.
Ask an adult to help you cut an old tennis ball in half. Glue the
halves on to the papier-mâché shell for the eyes. Use plenty of glue
and hold the halved balls in place with masking tape while the glue
dries.
Paint the mask in the colors you like. Use a thick brush to paint
large areas and a thin brush to paint details. Some areas may need
two coats. Allow to dry.
Trim the base of the mask so that it sits on your head. Make holes
near the base of the mask.
Attach elastic to one hole. Get a friend
to hold the mask on your head while you
fit the elastic strap
under your chin. Pull on the elastic to get a snug fit, then tie the
elastic to the hole.
Tape layers of nylon netting inside the base of the mask. Glue on a
strip of fake fur to make a collar.
You need:
swimming goggles
pencil
glue stick
masking tape
colored card
scissors
ruler
black felt-tip pen
Draw a fish shape 25cm X 10cm (10" X 4") from card. Cut it
out. Place the swimming goggles on to the fish and draw around the
outline. To make this easy, hold the goggles in position with
masking tape.
Also cut from different colored card, a small circle
for the eye and fronds of seaweed.
Remove the goggles and cut out the eye holes following the lines you
have drawn. Cut four small vertical slits, two on the outside edge
of each eye hole. Make sure the slits are large enough to fit the
strap on the goggles. Remove the strap from your goggles.
Push the swimming goggles into the holes of the fish mask. If they
do not fit, make the eye holes on the mask a little larger.
Reattach
the strap to the goggles by threading the strap through the slits in
both goggles and the mask.
To finish, glue the eye on to the fish and use a felt-tip pen to
draw scales and fins. Glue fronds of seaweed to the mask.