Masquerade Mask DIY

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Are you going to a masquerade ball or a masquerade party this year? Or is your tween/ teen having a masquerade do? Check out this masquerade mask diy… can you believe it, I made this mask, probably about 14-15 years ago (goodness, I feel old) and it is is still going strong. I made the masquerade mask for my step mother at the time, who wanted a mask in specific colours: white, pink and glittery. Making your own mask is a great way of getting something to match what you are wearing! I also made one for my father at the time – it was a jester’s masquerade mask. But that didn’t survive. Boo hoo.

Masquerade Mask DIY

Masquerade Mask DIT Materials:

  • Basic plastic mask *
  • Newspaper
  • DIY Papier Mache Paste
  • Acrylic Paint in Assorted Colors
  • Glitter or glittery nail varnish
  • Feathers
  • Adornments (I used, sequence,  long thin beads and bead wire)
  • Ribbon (salvaged from a chocolate box)

Masquerade Mask DIT Materials:

As I made this 15 years ago, I don’t have step by step photos (sorry, wasn’t blogging then), but I DO remember making this masquerade mask well!

1) Mark the outline of the “bottom” of the mask on your plastic mask. So you know how far to go with your papier mache. I remember greasing the plastic mask with butter (!) to stop the papier mache from sticking to it… I think these days, I would try using clingfilm and if a little sticks to the mask it doesn’t matter.

2) Add 4-5 layers of newspaper to make your mask. You can avoide the eyes if you wish – saves you having to cut them out. But if you do need to trim the eyes later, using a pair of nail scissors makes it much easier to cut as they are small and curved.

3) Let dry fully. Carefully remove it from your plastic mask and you SHOULD be able to use the plastic mask again.

4) Once dry, paint the desired colour and let dry again.  I painted the mask white. Then added some “pink” eye shadow – which in fact was some glittery pink girl’s nail varnish that we had in our “all girls shared flat”. Once that was dried I added a layer silver glitter nail varnish (again we had it in the flat! I don’t think you have to use nail varnish, but it work for me here).

Masquerade Mask How To

5) Once dry, add details such as – sticking on the feathers. I made little holes with a needle and poked the feathers through, then glued and tape them down on the back. I am sure a hot glue gun would have come in handy! Then I decorated the “holes” with a line sequins.

6) The eye lashes were some long beads I had, threaded onto bead wire, which I then poked through the papier mache and folded down.

7) Finally, I salvaged a chocolate box ribbon and used that for tidying!