The Masquerade (Part 2)

Construction Of The Mask

Updating The Design

After the presentation, I chose a specific theme for my mask. Since it is a bridge project, while choosing the perfect theme I paid attention to make it suit both of my classes. After a long brainstorm, I agreed on the “Hamsa” because it will fit perfectly to the story that I came up with for my Seminar class. After that, I developed my design in order to make it more interesting. Other than crafting it as a flat mask I decided to give it a helmet kind of shape to create a smooth and strong surface for other volumes attachments. I included an eye illustration with three-dimensional lashes and according to my professor’s advice decided to make fingers multidimensional.  Below I added an updated version of the sketch.

The Base

In order to decorate the mask by safely attaching other forms on to it, you should have a smooth and strong base. For a solid base, I cut out a template that looks like a rectangle attached to a half-circle. For this structure, I inspired by food take out containers and visors that this year we become very familiar with. I wanted to add volume to the half-circle in order to fit my head like a hat. For this one, I cut multiple slits surrounding the form and overlapped them. Moreover, I slightly scratched out the line which connects two forms with a razor in order to create a crisp edge. This edge helped me to fold it as smoothly as possible. I used double-sided tape for all sticking works. In a previous prototype, I tried to use paper binders but it ended up being too lose and caused a little bit of visual distraction which competed with the whole structure of the mask.

Fingers (index, middle, ring)

Even though in the original sketches these fingers portraited as connected, I wanted to craft them as individuals to add the mask more dimension. For each finger, I cut out layouts of identical rectangular prisms. On each side of the prism, I drew different perspectives of a finger. I sketched them out using graphite pencils than once its official, I went ahead and shaded them to have a more detailed vision. After creating this whole visual illusion, I folded them into three-dimensional rectangular prisms. After presenting the structure to my professor, we agreed on cutting the extra parts in order to maintain the original oval anatomy of a finger. Once I managed to create the structure I wanted, I placed them on the top of the mask according to recreate the shape of a crown around the face.

Fingers (pinky, thumb)

I wanted to build them identical and slightly pointy. Behind this design, I wanted to create this visual illusion of a hand which is impossible to guess which hand it is. Also, I inspired by elf ears while designing these two fingers pointy. For this form, I cut two shapes of droplets and then folded them to maintain this three-dimensional shape. Similar to other fingers, I also drew on them to create an illusion. Once I am happy with the shape I stuck them on the mask.

The Eye

First of all, I cut out the form of the eye. Then, I drew a detailed eye image on it. It has a jet-black pupil, with the note of my professor I added details and reflections of light on the pupil by white graphite pencils. In order to make it even more powerful, I added an ancient Anatolian spell around the iris. After adding all these elements it somehow still looked plain, as a result of that I decided to add lashes to it. These lashes surround the eye with both very long and short lashes. This attachment gave the mask a dynamic element that was missing.

Locking It In

Since I do not have any access to various art supplies in my home, I decided to use hair spray instead of the regular fixatives. It turned out just as fine. I have never experienced any smudge during the process of sticking the item to each other.

The Final Product