Tribal Mask

This is an interesting tribal mask made up of air drying clay which looks really dramatic when it is hung on any of the walls of house.

Tribal Masks are extensively used by varied tribes all across the world during rituals , dance performances or ceremonies with various purposes like ensuring a good harvest, victory in war or during times of annual functions. These masks have unique features resembling some deity, demon or common life style. Sometimes they may seem frightening yet they are interesting to look at .

So, Want to try some out!

I will guide you out in some easy steps. Let's start.

These are the items you need to have before starting to make your own tribal mask:

1. Air drying(hardening) clay of good quality( I recommend one of the creations company shown)(1 kg or 1/2 kg depending upon the mask).
2. A wooden board
3. A face shaped former(can be a face shaped utensil, if not available I will also tell how to make it in the steps).
4. A bowl of water
5. Rolling board and pin
6. Glue
7. Acrylic or Poster colors
8. Paint brushes

First of all we need to create a former to put our clay on it to give a 3D face structure. For this I have taken a face shaped vessel and then covered it with aluminium foil to make the surface smooth. You may also used paper or cloth. If you do not have such a vessel then take some small pieces of clothes and small newspaper pieces, put it inside a large cloth , give it a face like shape and the stick in on all sides with a tape and the stick it to the wooden board.

Take half of the clay from the packet and then make a ball of it by rolling on your palms and then make a circle (or chapati structure) by pressing it or using a rolling pin and board. (It is similar to the way our mother make chapatis).Keep in mind the thickness of the clay face should not be very less than 1 cm. (Then place it on the former and remove the extra clay out from the boundaries using a knife or clay tools if you have.

Note * :Once you open the packet of clay, cover the clay not in use in a damped cloth otherwise it will become dry and get wasted.

Take a wet paint brush and draw the symmetry line of face on the clay face you made. Make lines for the eyes, nose , mouth etc.

Now in all the further steps, there are only two processes either scooping out some clay or adding some clay to make a particular shape. For eyes and mouth you can use scooping technique. So for scooping you can use a knife or a clay scooper at the location you have marked. Make sure that your eyes are symmetric.

For the nose, eyebrows and lips we generally use the method of adding clay of those shapes. For the nose u can make a rain drop shape out of clay and the pinch the bottom thicker part to give it a shape of nose. Similarly we can add the lips and eyebrows by making those shapes.

Then you can add more details to your face like some kind of jewellery , eyelashes or more of a tribal touch like some face marks. For this you may use method of adding or scooping.

Hurrah! Your raw face mask is ready.

Then keep your face mask for drying for atleast 15 - 16 hours until it becomes dry.

Note : Try to use the scooping techinque to the minimal because it reduces the strength of mask and it may break.

For colouring,it is more convenient to use acrylic color for the clay. While colouring, first put a base colour of your choice on the entire face and the give the varied detailings on the face with different exiting colours.(Actually colouring completely depends upon you).

Then slowly remove your face mask from the former. Be cautious while removing.

Finally , Your mask is ready.

Your can scare down people or enhance the beauty of the walls of your house with the amazing face mask.

You can also try out many many such masks.

Thank You!