Inspired Mask

1. I used a chunk of clay, made it as a head model for the mask. Then I sprayed water and wrapped it with plastic bag to keep the clay wet for future recycle.

2. I made a slab by using the slab roller, then wrapped around the model, and cut out the extra slabs. After that I used the aluminum rib to smoothen the surface of the mask, and cut out the two eyes with the needle tool.

3. When the mask is dry though that it would not change a shape easily, I flipped it over and lays it on the soft mat. Later I made a long coil slip and scored it around the edge of the inner mask to strengthen the edge of the mask.

4. I also punched two hole in the bottom edge of the mask for the nail to hold the mask then it is finished. When the mask was almost leather hard, I changed my original plan for the mask, so I used extra clay and spread out the clays on the mask. I also made two antlers and connected them to the mask by slip and score.

5. After bisque fired, I painted the mask with acrylic paint. The green color in the antler gradually transfer to a light green color. And the body of the mask was painted with pink, light yellow and lime green.

This project, our prompt is to make an inspired mask by certain cultural mask, and my mask was inspired by Japanese mask. Which the female role Japanese mask has simple forms of eyes, and smooth surface of the face. And some other Japanese mask has horns with horrified facial expression. So I added the two antlers, but instead for the scary expression, I added textures to the mask and painted the mask with light, springful colors; which brings opposite expression and feeling contrast with the traditional Japanese warrior mask.