The mask making tutorial

Step 1: Pick your character.

 For this tutorial, I will show you how I did my Golden Age Bat-Girl.

Step 2: Design the mask.

To design the mask, draw an outline of the necessary shape on craft foam. Then cut the shape out of the craft foam, and held it up to your face to ensure I had the correct size.

Step 3: Apply Thermoplastic

After modifying the craft foam mask to fit your face properly, cover the foam base in thermoplastic, and cut one inch bigger than the outline of the mask (in this case I used TerraFlex from Tandy Leather). Cut the termoplastic in several places along the edges to notch the material. Then the notched flaps are folded around the craft foam mask.  Hold the thermoplastic covered foam to your face to get the proper fit.  Then heat the thermoplastic, gently pressing it to your face as it softens. Note: You need to be very careful with this step because the thermoplastic is very hot. Once it fits your face comfortably, let it cool and harden.

Step 4: Apply Gesso

After you have gotten the shape you want and the thermoplastic has cooled, apply multiple layers of gesso. I used six coats to get a good base so I could sand it and get a good base for painting. You know you have a good covering when any pencil or pen markings you may have made no longer show through the gesso.

Step 5: Apply paint.

Apply a base color first, and then tape off the design that you want, and paint over the mask and tape again. Your paint may run, like in the second picture, so try to paint the details and smaller amounts last.

                          Here is the final mask view.  

Step 6: Apply string – if you want to use a string to hold your mask on

Punch a hole in the side of the mask and ran the string through the hole. You can also use a small amount of thermoplastic to make an area to run the string through.

Step 7: Wear the mask

                Wear the mask with your costume. If you want to use the string then put the mask on your face and set the string over your ears to hold it in place. You can also use a skin safe adhesive to apply the mask to your face.

               

                Most importantly enjoy your mask and show off your work. This method can be used to make any style mask you want.

The costume process: The outfit

     I'm currently working on planning a costume that is a mash-up for Harley Quinn and the Ravenclaw house from Harry Potter. I have been looking at a way to have in be recognizable as both. So I asked around about what people thought of when they heard Harley Quinn and what was needed to portray the Ravenclaw house.
     So I decided for Ravenclaw, I go with the house colors. Not from the books, but from the movies because it will be easier to get stuff needed. So my color scheme for the outfit is blue and silver. I also decided to get a house robe. Then for Harley, I want the diamond design and I needed a mask. The diamond design was easy enough, but what to do a about a mask. I decided to do glasses like Luna wears. Here is a draft of the possible costumes.

 
   So what would you want to do to plan your outfit. Well first you need to decide what you want your outfit to be. If the outfit is based on a pre-existing character, then you can use a picture to base the outfit on. If it a character you want to create, you need to determine what is important to the character. As you can see above that is what I did to get my mash-up.
    The next step is to determine what material you want to use. Depending on the type outfit and they way it needs to fit will determine the material you need to use. My material choice is T-shirt for the main outfit. The mask will be made of craft foam and thermoplastic (see the Mask making blog for more information). I'm still trying to determine if I want the cape to be jersey knit or the material closer to the look in the movies.
    Finally you can't forget the accessories needed to complete the outfit. I will be using the glasses, robe, and designed shoes to complete my look. What does your character always have on them? Do they have a that one accessory that is as recognizable as they are? If the answer to that question is yes, then make sure that you have that accessory

Costume process: The mask

      

                I’m always talking about my costume that I’m working in so I decided to share a little of the process with you. I’m just going to talk about the process of making a single piece. I decided to talk about the mask making because it is a new process for me and a learning experience.

 First step was choosing the character I wanted to be.

  I chose the Golden Age Bat-Girl, because she wears a shirt and can still take on the bad guys.

Step 2 is designing the mask.

I made the base out of craft foam and covered in with a thermoplastic material.

Step 3  Apply multiple layers of gesso.

Step 4  Apply red paint The red paint dried.

Step5  Tape off edges and apply the black paint. This step in where things went wrong for me. The paint ran under the tape.

Step 6 start again  I painted it all black and will be adding the red outline.

                I have enjoyed learning an new process for making mask and will be adding picture of it once it is complete. I started this thinking it would be the easiest part and learned a lot while working it. I’m not going to let it get me down. If every Superhero stopped the first time they ran into trouble we wouldn’t have any Superhero, in real life or the comics.


Update. Here is the mask after I redid it. 

Bracelet design inspiration - Amethyst

      We cosplay as a family and sometimes the characters we chose to cosplay inspire the bracelets I decide to make. My next bracelet I will be working on is based on Amethyst. She is a blonde, princess who knows her way around a sword and a shield. She is a DC character that I first saw in Justice League Dark and then had to get the trade of her series, Sword of Sorcery Amethyst. I really enjoy fantasy stories, so her line was perfect for me. Also who wouldn’t want to be a Princess who can defend herself?

    We are planning our costumes for the rest of the year, so who knows what bracelets I may decided to make.

Sorry the picture is so blurry.