TheMask

You'll want to first have a life cast made.I won't be

going into that here as it seems like everyone knows

how to create one and there seem to be a plethora of

places on-line that also describe the process. But

here's an image of a full head and shoulders life

cast. You can also do similar masks with a simple

three quarter life cast as well.

xxxxxxxxxxx Roma Plastilina clay. Preferable the two softer levels. I think
xxxxxxxxxxx that's numbers one--the softest and number two--most of the
xxxxxxxxxxx sculpture of the mask. We use number one for the outer layer,
xxxxxxxxxxx the fine detail. Runs about $7/brick on-line. I think you can
xxxxxxxxxxx get it as low as $5 from Dick Blick, on-line. You should have
xxxxxxxxxxx about two to three #2's, and one #1.

UltraCal 30. This is a type of cement or plaster. It is a thermal plaster
meaning it heats up as it cures. It sets to a white finish once fully
cured. It is a *very* hard cement once set. Do not use most other plasters
as you need a very strong stone for the process of making the blow. It
needs to be strong enough to with stand the pressures involved. It runs
about $20 for a 100 lb. bag, which is the smallest amount it comes in. But
it lasts forever and you can use it for a great many purposes and curing as
hard as it does it maintains any fine detail you want the best. At least as
far as we've found so far. If anyone has found something better, please let
us know.

Burlap. Cut this into different sized strips. Anywhere from 1"X2" to
2.5"X3" These are just base sizes. As long as they're roughly in this size.
You don't need precision for this.

A couple cheapo paintbrushes from your local hardware store. About 1" wide
brushes. And a good short, fairly stiff art paintbrush from your local
artstore. About 1/2" wide and about that long, or you can cut it to that
short. This is to clean up the details as described later.

Sculpting tools. This is purely personal. Different tools work for
different folks. You can often buy some pretty inexpensive ones from craft
stores that should work just fine.

70% rubbing alcohol. Less than $1 a bottle.

Mask latex. Can be purchased from many places but we get ours from either
Burman Industries or Cinema Secrets. Prices vary widely depending on the
quantity purchased. MonsterMakers.com also appears to have a good selection
of stuff but we've never purchased anything from them.

Two part cold foam kit. This is the most expensive part. About $80+. For
the gallon kit of number TC-265 polyeurethane soft foam kit. I'm not sure
if it comes in kits smaller than a gallon. We get ours from Burman
Industries.

A fine scale of some kind for measuring the mask foam chemicals. The less
expensive postal scales work just fine.

A paint mixer attachment to put into a hand drill. The stuff just can't be
mixed by hand and still achieve a well blended foam--plus it catalyzes too
quickly for hand mixing.

We start out with a lifecast.

Then ya slap some of the Roma Plastilina clay onto it. Begin building what
it is you want. Use as much reference as you can get your hands on. It's
always a feat changing something that's in your head to something real.
Especially if that imaginary creature has only been rendered in 2D. In any
case, at this point don't worry about jaw structure or detail. Just get the
rough shape started. Stay off of the eyes. Build the clay back a good
distance but not so far that the clay wraps around the back--that is, if
you want a single piece mold of the mask--which is how we make ours. We
usually begin laying clay down just a bit in front of the ears and at the
start of the hairline.