Halloween is a favorite holiday at our house. I’d like to say it’s the pumpkins and costumes and kids trick-or-treating, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s more about the candy (or the fact that we tend to sneak/eat some of it prior to October 31st), and sometimes it’s more about the decorations or crafts.
Colorful masks in the Dia de los Muertos tradition
This year, The Complete Package decided to tackle a papier-mâché mask for Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. It’s a holiday celebrated in Mexico and other cultures around the world in honor of those who have passed. In Mexico, it’s a national holiday celebrated on November 1st. For us, it’s yet another way to celebrate Halloween with a cultural twist. Why? Because skeletons play a key role, and we can’t help but be drawn to these colorful and charismatic crafts.
In our case, TCP did the crafting of the mask and I did the embellishing. This was so simple, it’s almost unbelievable. The best part is that it only requires a few simple items you probably already have around the house.
What You’ll Need:
aluminum foil – to create a form
thin paper or newspaper – cut into strips
flour & water – to create simple paste
acrylic craft paints (small bottles) or colorful makers
black Sharpies or permanent markers (fine point)
It starts with the papier-mâché. Using 2-3 layers of aluminum foil, press it onto your face to create a form to work on. This is TCP in foil form. It reminds me of several things, one of which was Han Solo frozen into a block of carbonite.
Or this one: ‘Come with me if you want to live’ – name that movie!
Next up, the pasting and papering:
Papier-mâché – much easier to make than it is to spell.
See? I told you it was simple. Once the entire mask is covered in 2-3 layers of paper, dip your fingers into the paste and use it to smooth all the loose or rough edges. Place your mask in an out-of-the-way place to air dry; it may take a few days to dry, depending on the humidity where you live. In Houston, humidity is always a factor. That’s why we call it “air you can wear”.
Once dry, you can cut out holes for the eyes, nose & mouth (if you plan to wear your mask) or leave it intact and start to paint (if you plan to display your mask). I started by printing off a few examples from the internet for inspiration. Using a Sharpie (or a pencil), sketch your pattern onto the mask.
Stage 1 decorating – drawing your patterns
Once I was happy with my basic design, I started filling in the areas with colorful acrylic paints from the craft store. Bright primary colors are key.
The contrast between black & white and the colors make it pop
Once dry, use a black permanent marker to outline your design; it makes it really stand out. Then fill in the blank areas with decorative flourishes.
Outlining sharpens the detail of your design
If you want to use this for years to come, I recommend spraying the finished mask with a spray varnish or sealer. It will protect the paint and keep bugs from going after the paste when it’s stored. Just check with your local craft store on which varnish works best on paper crafts. We decided to leave ours as is.
Our finished Dia de los Muertos mask
Inside NanaBread's Head 