Ever since we visited the Milwaukee Public Museum over the winter and saw the display of Pacific Northwest Indian Masks, A has been intrigued. When I found blank paper masks that we could decorate, I knew I had to get some!
We started with paper masks (we used pre-formed masks, you could also paper mache your own), and I primed them with white acrylic - the boys chose white, you can of course paint the base any color or design. The boys then decorated them using glitter glue, beans, lentils, pasta, and feathers.
The boys loved their masks and for several days danced and played with them often. Then A saw a few books about masks - which meant new ideas! Both boys really liked that so many ritual masks from around the world are red, so they added to their masks using red paint and topped them with a coating of acrylic glitter paint (we used a silvery/charcoal color). The end result is very different and interesting!
When dry, they spontaneously did a special song and dance for summer to finally arrive - I think it worked too well...Saturday is supposed to get up to 87ยบ!
you and your creative boys'...love seeing A and G at work...the masks are awesome.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love how these masked evolved. It's really great how the boys changed them after some learning. They look awesome!
ReplyDeleteThose are such cool masks. Could you ask your boys to do a little dance for warm weather this weekend in Washington as well? :) It's cold here!
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE masks. I've been collecting since our honeymoon 6 years ago. So far we have 5 from various places in Mexico. I'm hoping to get some alaskan native made masks as well as some from tibet and peru.
ReplyDeleteThe kids masks are amazing! I love that deep red!
Wow, those are amazing! They look like they should be hanging in a museum. You said "they added to their masks using red paint and topped them with a charcoal glitter acrylic." What is charcoal glitter acrylic?
ReplyDeleteCami-It is an acrylic glitter paint. We used a silvery charcoal color with multi colored bits.
ReplyDeleteWe have used both Liquitex Liquigems Acrylic Glitter Paint and DecoArt Craft Twinkles for top coats of glitter over paint. :)
Beautiful, as usual!
ReplyDeleteI love them red..they're like fire masks now! But what I really love is your second photograph~ he's so intensely wrapped up in his work, it's precious!
ReplyDeletevery cool masks
ReplyDeletewell have to do that sometime :)
Jen
Cool masks! You have got to be the world best art "facilitator".
ReplyDeletecool project!
ReplyDeleteI love the red masks, especially. They are so vibrant!
ReplyDeleteOooh! I really like the masks. And the boys have definitely grown. It's darn amazing how much they grow and we sort of notice, but we are brought up short by pictures!
ReplyDelete