(no subject)

[madbaker]

I've been somewhat listless of late - work and travel have severely burned me out. The wife suggested I start a project to energize a bit of creativity. So, I finally started the model for the Capitano mask I've had planned for a couple years. It's loosely based on 1620ish etchings of Capitano characters.
(This actually has nothing to do with a play that we may or may not perform next year - I've had this sketched out for quite a while and done nothing with it.)

Capitano in clay

I'm going to try doing paper-mache directly over the clay, because the (ahem) nose curvature would be difficult to transfer into concrete. We'll see how it works. I plan to put in full mustachios and bushy eyebrows on the final product. Maybe horsehair, maybe fur.
I may have to make a new life mask for the next one though - after a number of masks and a move, it's wearing down.

Comments

[roswtr.livejournal.com]

Not bad. I like the shape of the nose, but should it be so smooth over the cheeks and forehead?

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I could put in more lines, but I'm doing a younger Capitano so I don't want to make too many wrinkles and such.
Also, the fur/horsehair will cover a fair amount, at least in my plan.

[mastersantiago.livejournal.com]

I would suggest that you put a layer of tinfoil over the clay before you build with paper-mache. The tinfoil can be easily molded and smoothed with a burnishing tool, and it will help to protect the clay.

That's what I did with the last paper-mache mask.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Good to know. I was thinking of greasing up the clay with Vaseline and then covering it with plastic wrap.

[aastg.livejournal.com]

Nice. Now that I've seen it, the smooth cheeks could work well, especially if do a curled mustache.

[seamoose.livejournal.com]

Remember to allow for removing the mask from the mold. Since it is just clay, you can destroy the nostrils and not have to worry about it, but if you want to preserve the mold, you'll have to put some cuts into the mask. Those are easily patched afterwards.

I've done a couple of paper-mache masks now, and they can hold up fairly well. The one that I used as Capitano last year wasn't true paper-mache, but it was a paper laminate, and I think that it will last almost as long as my original Pantalone.