Mask (Ashley) by Weezilou

Mask (Ashley)

Years ago I took a paper-making class where we learned to make plaster casts to form paper sculptures. Both of my girls allowed me to make casts of their faces, and in this instance, I used only a portion of the whole face to make this mask.

Originally the pressed flowers were lovely pastels, and better suited the ribbons, but I find the aging process here agreeable. It's framed in a lucite box with a hole to allow the ribbons to spill out.
Love Your Mask!
March 6th, 2010  
it's lovely!
March 6th, 2010  
I find the tradition of mask making fascinating. A. Lincoln's 'Death Mask' always haunted me....

This one is quite lovely!
March 6th, 2010  
I like the faded flowers, I have a rose from my wedding day which was once a pretty pink and now faded brown - after just 5 years - there's beauty in the faded-ness too
Your pictures tell a lovely story...
March 6th, 2010  
Nice. The faded flowers makes it look special
March 6th, 2010  
this is so pretty. it makes a beautiful photograph
March 6th, 2010  
THIS IS VERY NICE :-) GREAT COLORS
March 6th, 2010  
I bet it was a fun project for you to do together---------I always loved making things with my daughter!
March 6th, 2010  
I like how you included part of the frame
March 7th, 2010  
Excellent idea to create a memory of your child's face that is so creative and lasting.
March 7th, 2010  
That is a really cool project! Thanks for sharing. :)
March 7th, 2010  
Ashley..this one is way too amazing...an exicitement for a carnival to arrive with the soft delicacy of true colors...;)
March 7th, 2010  
Oh I love it!
March 7th, 2010  
What a cool idea! I'd love doing something like this.
March 7th, 2010  
ahh very pretty :) so explain how you did this again?
March 29th, 2010  
Hi Lauren... To answer your question above, 1> I made a plaster mask of my (cooperative) daughter's face. 2> I made a vat of pulped paper linters...so it would be white...but you can put any soaked paper through a (old/garage sale) blender. This gets added to a tub of water & agitated so the fibers float throughout. 3> You need a 2-part screen & rim (there's a name for this I can't recall) which you dip & pull through the water, lifting a layer of wet paper 4> The papers are tipped off onto layers of cotton toweling, and from here, they're carefully lifted and patted into the mask. You add layers until you get the thickness you want, pressed & formed into the mask. 5>Let set, and carefully peel out when nearly dry. 6> From there I added the pressed flowers with glue.

Sure wish you lived in the neighborhood! I have shelves of screens in varying sizes I used many times when I made paper. If you have someone who can teach you how to make your own paper (it's pretty easy), you can go to all lengths with the medium...as I'm sure you can imagine! Good luck!
March 29th, 2010  
...now it's coming back to me...the screen & frame is called a mold & deckle (hence, deckled edge...) and piling the papeers onto felts or towels is called couching. If you're really inrterested in doing this; there's lots of step-by-step books on paper making...and again, while you need a little equipment, it's easy. If you're dad's handy, you can make small screens using canvas stretcher bars...two sets...mold & deckle.
March 29th, 2010  
ah! thanks so much for all the help! I actually already have my mask made :) I am decorating it tonight...I have been working on it for 5 hours STRAIGHt!! I'm getting tired...but I won't stop until it's finished...that' s just how I work. We get 50 minutes to work on it in class each day.... (we've been able to work on it for the last 3 weeks...) and I did a little at school...but I just work better when I'm at home, have all the materials, and a lot of time to work on it at once. Anyway so this is how you made this mask? You made the paper and everything?? That's soo cool! and makes it all the better.

That would just make my world if we lived near eachther :) We would have so much fun making stuff like this...I would totally adopt you as my Grandma.... I have a really small family...so I like to adopt grandparents :) All of my grandparent's on my mom's side are gone...and she has one brother...who had 3 kids (which are my ONLY cousins)...but he's not all the way there...if that makes any sense... and my dad has a mother...and a sister...but I havn't seen my Grandma on his side for years...and his sister didn't have any kids. So you would be Grandma Louise :) :)
March 29th, 2010  
Wow this is so pretty! I love the pressed flowers.
August 20th, 2010  
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