Plaster Cast Masks Lesson Plan
Objective: The student will construct and decorate a mask similar to those used in modern Day of the Dead celebrations.
Anticipatory Set/Modeling:
Teacher will wear her/his own Day of the Dead mask and allow students to inspect it and other sample masks. Teacher may show pictures (pp.22 & 23) from Day of the Dead: A Mexican-American Celebration, by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. These photographs show masks as they are being made on the faces of actual children. Teacher explains that these masks traditionally are worn during the Day of the Dead procession, when acting in plays, and used for decorating the offrenda (altar).
Purpose:
You will make your own mask that you can later wear and use in our own Day of the Dead celebration.
Input/Guided Practice:
Preparation:
1. Cut plaster cast material into strips about ½” by 3 ½”. A small child’s face will require approximately 30 strips of this size.
2. Put out small bowls of warm water. The plaster sets more quickly if the water is warm.
3. Place a bib or smock on each child, and pull the hair away from the face. It is extremely painful to have hair caught in the plaster when the mask is removed from the face.
4. Thoroughly smear baby oil, vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly ALL over the child’s face. This will allow the mask to be easily removed from the child’s face. If a spot is missed, the plaster will stick to the child’s skin; it will be painful to the child to remove the mask; and the mask may crack as it is removed. This step is very, very important!
5. Instruct the child to not talk or move their face during the mask-making process, or the mask will not hold its shape upon removal.
Making the Mask:
1. Determine if eyes, nose, or mouth will be covered by the plaster material. It will be necessary to leave either the mouth or nose uncovered so the child can breathe. Be sure that all areas to be covered have been thoroughly smeared with oil or petroleum jelly.
2. Dip a strip in the water, let the water drip off the strip for a couple seconds, and place the strip on the child’s face, according to steps 3-6 below.
3. Begin by ringing the child’s face with overlapping strips (similar to making a frame).
4. Place strips down and across the bridge of the nose and over the top lip.
5. Be sure to cover the entire face with at least one layer of strips; any spot missed will result in a hole in the mask.
6. Try to have double layer of strips around the edge of the mask, over the nose and across the top lip. (these are the areas most likely to fray or crack, and can use the reinforcement.)
7. After the face covering is completed, have the child sit (ideally) in a warm, sunny area until the plaster is dry to the touch on the surface and feels fairly hard. The child should not talk or move their face until the plaster has set. The Plastercraft material takes approximately 20 minutes to set. Some of the material available at Walgreens takes as little as 5 minutes to set.
8. Remove the mask by using your fingers to gently pry it off the child’s face. The child can help with this process by wiggling and contorting their face. If the face has been thoroughly smeared prior to applying the plaster strips, and the mask is fairly dry, this should take only about a minute or two and be pain-free.
9. Place the mask on paper to complete drying. The mask should hold its shape at this point.
10. It is not necessary for an adult to apply the strips. Children as young as first grade are able to apply the strips (with some supervision) to other children’s faces.
11. Note: Some children are afraid to have plaster strips applied to their faces. Commercially-made plain masks may be purchased in order that these children may still participate in decorating masks. In addition, one child may be willing to sit for two masks in order that another child should have one for decorating.
Clean-Up
1. Wipe table, chair, or floor with a wet paper-towel or rag.
2. Wash face (hair and clothes) with soap and water. Plaster will wash out of clothes even after it has set.
Decorating the Masks:
1. If the mask holds its shape upon removal, it should be dry enough to begin decorating.
2. Paint mask as desired using tempera or acrylic paints
3. Glitter can be applied directly on top of wet paint or applied with glue.
4. Fabric paint can be applied after mask and tempera paint is dry. Warning: Fabric paints will not wash out of clothes (or carpet).
5. The dry, painted mask can be sprayed with a non-glossy acrylic sealer. This will prevent the tempera paint from cracking and chipping over time (years).
6. Flowers, etc. Can be glued or stapled to the mask after the paint is dry.
7. Staple ribbon or yarn at the temples to enable the child to wear the mask. Mask must be completely dry before stapling or it will likely crack. Wet paint will clog the stapler.
Materials: Mask: Plaster cast material, water, bowls, paper towel, wet-wipes, baby oil-olive oil-mineral oil-petroleum jelly, scissors, table and floor coverings. Decorations: Paint, brushes, paint cups, paper towel and/or table covering, glitter, feathers, sequins, silk flowers, craft or fabric glue.
Anna Stange leads mask making workshops for youth at schools, libraries, festivals, scout groups and private parties. For rates & availability, contact annastange@yahoo.com.
Objective: The student will construct and decorate a mask similar to those used in modern Day of the Dead celebrations.
Anticipatory Set/Modeling:
Teacher will wear her/his own Day of the Dead mask and allow students to inspect it and other sample masks. Teacher may show pictures (pp.22 & 23) from Day of the Dead: A Mexican-American Celebration, by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. These photographs show masks as they are being made on the faces of actual children. Teacher explains that these masks traditionally are worn during the Day of the Dead procession, when acting in plays, and used for decorating the offrenda (altar).
Purpose:
You will make your own mask that you can later wear and use in our own Day of the Dead celebration.
Input/Guided Practice:
Preparation:
1. Cut plaster cast material into strips about ½” by 3 ½”. A small child’s face will require approximately 30 strips of this size.
2. Put out small bowls of warm water. The plaster sets more quickly if the water is warm.
3. Place a bib or smock on each child, and pull the hair away from the face. It is extremely painful to have hair caught in the plaster when the mask is removed from the face.
4. Thoroughly smear baby oil, vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly ALL over the child’s face. This will allow the mask to be easily removed from the child’s face. If a spot is missed, the plaster will stick to the child’s skin; it will be painful to the child to remove the mask; and the mask may crack as it is removed. This step is very, very important!
5. Instruct the child to not talk or move their face during the mask-making process, or the mask will not hold its shape upon removal.
Making the Mask:
1. Determine if eyes, nose, or mouth will be covered by the plaster material. It will be necessary to leave either the mouth or nose uncovered so the child can breathe. Be sure that all areas to be covered have been thoroughly smeared with oil or petroleum jelly.
2. Dip a strip in the water, let the water drip off the strip for a couple seconds, and place the strip on the child’s face, according to steps 3-6 below.
3. Begin by ringing the child’s face with overlapping strips (similar to making a frame).
4. Place strips down and across the bridge of the nose and over the top lip.
5. Be sure to cover the entire face with at least one layer of strips; any spot missed will result in a hole in the mask.
6. Try to have double layer of strips around the edge of the mask, over the nose and across the top lip. (these are the areas most likely to fray or crack, and can use the reinforcement.)
7. After the face covering is completed, have the child sit (ideally) in a warm, sunny area until the plaster is dry to the touch on the surface and feels fairly hard. The child should not talk or move their face until the plaster has set. The Plastercraft material takes approximately 20 minutes to set. Some of the material available at Walgreens takes as little as 5 minutes to set.
8. Remove the mask by using your fingers to gently pry it off the child’s face. The child can help with this process by wiggling and contorting their face. If the face has been thoroughly smeared prior to applying the plaster strips, and the mask is fairly dry, this should take only about a minute or two and be pain-free.
9. Place the mask on paper to complete drying. The mask should hold its shape at this point.
10. It is not necessary for an adult to apply the strips. Children as young as first grade are able to apply the strips (with some supervision) to other children’s faces.
11. Note: Some children are afraid to have plaster strips applied to their faces. Commercially-made plain masks may be purchased in order that these children may still participate in decorating masks. In addition, one child may be willing to sit for two masks in order that another child should have one for decorating.
Clean-Up
1. Wipe table, chair, or floor with a wet paper-towel or rag.
2. Wash face (hair and clothes) with soap and water. Plaster will wash out of clothes even after it has set.
Decorating the Masks:
1. If the mask holds its shape upon removal, it should be dry enough to begin decorating.
2. Paint mask as desired using tempera or acrylic paints
3. Glitter can be applied directly on top of wet paint or applied with glue.
4. Fabric paint can be applied after mask and tempera paint is dry. Warning: Fabric paints will not wash out of clothes (or carpet).
5. The dry, painted mask can be sprayed with a non-glossy acrylic sealer. This will prevent the tempera paint from cracking and chipping over time (years).
6. Flowers, etc. Can be glued or stapled to the mask after the paint is dry.
7. Staple ribbon or yarn at the temples to enable the child to wear the mask. Mask must be completely dry before stapling or it will likely crack. Wet paint will clog the stapler.
Materials: Mask: Plaster cast material, water, bowls, paper towel, wet-wipes, baby oil-olive oil-mineral oil-petroleum jelly, scissors, table and floor coverings. Decorations: Paint, brushes, paint cups, paper towel and/or table covering, glitter, feathers, sequins, silk flowers, craft or fabric glue.
Anna Stange leads mask making workshops for youth at schools, libraries, festivals, scout groups and private parties. For rates & availability, contact annastange@yahoo.com.
