Tribal Mask Making
Explore the art of tribal mask-making, a craft rooted in rich cultural traditions and spiritual symbolism.I have made this as fun and simple as possible .Enjoy!!!
Supplies
- Clay
- Newspaper
- Clay carving tools
- Colour paint and paint brush
- White varnish
- Cardboard (Stand)
Ideation and Elements of Mask
Mask is a blend of elements often associated with tribal or folk art traditions, possibly symbolizing spiritual protection, insight, and connection to the natural and supernatural realms.
To ideate our mask , We need to add significant cultural elements . Lets take mine as an example
- The mask uses bold colors like red, green, black, and white
- The red lines radiating from the center may represent energy or movement, a common element in ritual masks symbolizing the flow of life or spiritual energy.
- - The green arc around the eyes and nose creates a natural, organic look, symbolizing growth or fertility.
- - The third eye, marked by a black dot on the forehead, often represents spiritual vision or wisdom, a symbol found in various cultures to denote inner awareness.
- - The mouth area, marked with black grid-like lines, could represent teeth or a symbolic guard/ Jail kind of Structure and Mouth piercing acting like a lock , potentially related to protection from spirits or negative energy .
Starting the Mask From Scratch
- Draw a rough figure after ideation
- Roll the newspaper into a face kind of shape and stick it to the floor
- Flatten your clay to a certain amount of thickness and spread it on the newspaper face .
- Start carving basic elements of the face ( Eyes, nose , ears , Mouth)
Add More Depth and Designs
- Add more designs and elements to the mask like for example like mine - Third eye (Bhindi) , Piercing , Lines on face
- Now put holes on side to give a thread connection for the mask - 3rd image
- Now we wait for it to harden ( Make sure there's no thin sections , otherwise it will break)
Apply White Layer and Start Painting
- Apply a layer of white paint and make the mask smooth
- Wait for it to dry and then start Painting
- Add colours according to your ideation and add elements like dots , lines like i did above based on your wish
Creating a Stand
- Create a stand using Cardboard according to the size of the mask
- Add your name to it
- OPTIONAL : Paint the stand
Final Touches and Mask Is Ready
I Gave some final touches - Giving colour to mouth piercing , added more dots and adding extra layer of colour to make it more brighter and Our mask is ready