Make a clay mask by tracing and cutting a face shape out of a clay slab and adding the appropriate facial features. The length of this project varies depending on the level of detail you add to the mask. You need paper, a pencil, clay, slip, scoring and texture tools, stain, a sponge, a knife, and a kiln.
- Create a template of the mask
Decide how you want your mask to look. Draw the shape of the mask on a sheet of paper. Draw the features – two eyes, a nose and a mouth – on another sheet of paper. Cut the shapes out.
- Cut the clay
Lay the template on a slab of clay. Use the knife to cut out the shapes.
- Score and texture the clay
Score the underside of the facial features with a crosshatch pattern using scoring tools, such as plastic utensils. This enables you to attach the features to the face. Apply a layer of slip to the bottom of the features, and gently press it into place. Use texture tools to apply decorative designs and lines in the mask.
- Fire and stain the mask
Place the mask in a kiln, and fire it until the clay hardens. Apply the stain using a sponge. Make sure that the stain gets into all the crevices and lines. Allow the stain to dry.
