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How to make large, lightweight masks for kids (and adults, too!)

Part I 

By Susan Frost 

Susan Frost has been involved in theater, music, and fine arts since childhood.  She has written several plays, directed, produced, acted, stage managed, created costumes, designed and built sets, created and managed properties, and she loves making masks. 

You can easily make inexpensive and large, comfortable masks for kids — you don’t even have to go far for materials!  You’ll find what you need at your local grocery store (corrugated cardboard, plastic milk jugs, plastic containers), a dollar or craft store (foam board, poster board), and the hardware store (duct tape, paint stick, cheap wooden yardstick, plastic nuts and bolts, dowels, flexible plastic tubing, and more).

The first step to any style of mask is to make a lightweight base that sits comfortably on the person’s shoulders.  In this article, I’ll provide step-by-step instructions for making my favorite base, which can then be customized to become almost anything.  I like the large size of this base because it’s comfortable for kids and because it creates a great visual effect on stage.

Next week, I’ll share details on making this same base into a lion, a giraffe, a dragon, or just about any other creature you desire!

For the base, you’ll need three pieces of corrugated cardboard, duct tape, a paint stick, a knife or pair of scissors for cutting the cardboard, a pencil, and a ruler or yardstick.

1. Start with two pieces of corrugated cardboard measuring 20” wide and 16” tall to make the sides of the base, having the corrugated lines run vertically.  Refer to the diagram below to make the following measurements (seen in the diagram in white) on each of them:
   1. On the right side, make a mark 3¼” up from the bottom.
   2. On the left side, make a mark 1” up from the bottom.
   3. Along the top, make a mark at 1¼” in from the left, and another 6” in.  Make corresponding marks at 5¾” and 7” in from the right.
   4. Along the bottom, make marks at 3½”, 5”, 7”, and 10” in from the left.  Make a mark at 5¾” and 7” in from the right.
   5. Along the bottom, at the left, make a mark 2” up from your 3½” mark.  Make a mark 2¼” up from your 5” mark.  Make a mark 5” up from your 7”mark.  Make a mark 3¼” up from your 10” mark.
   6. Along the right side, make a mark 3½” in from your 3¼” mark.
   7. Now draw lines to connect these marks as indicated in the diagram below.  (You will cut along the solid lines and fold along the dotted lines.)
   
2. Cut both pieces out along the solid lines of corrugated cardboard.  Flip one of the pieces over as you need the two pieces to be mirror images to become the right and left sides of the base.
   
3. Fold the cardboard on the dotted lines.  This is easier to do if you lay a hard edge (e.g.  yardstick) against the line as you fold.  Thicker cardboard doesn’t look as even, but it won’t matter!
   
4. Use a piece of corrugated cardboard measuring 12¾” wide and 14” tall for the back of the base.  (Again, the corrugated lines should run vertically.)  Refer to the diagram below to make the following measurements:
   1. Along the top, make a mark at 1” in from the right and 1” in from the left.
   2. Along the bottom, make a mark at 1” and at 2” in from the right.  Do the same from the left.
   3. Draw lines to connect these marks as indicated.
   
5. Cut on the solid lines.
   
6. Fold on the dotted lines.
   
7. Now connect these three pieces with duct tape.  (Who doesn’t love duct tape?!)  The back piece with the wider part at top overlaps with the sides at the fold lines indicated here:
   
   With the back piece in front of the side piece, duct tape these together.
   
   Then tape the other side to the back as well, like this:
   
   Now overlap the two tabs in front to form the chin piece, so that it is approximately 6½” wide.
   
   Tape the chin pieces together, too.  (Hint:  don’t scrimp on duct tape anywhere!  Use liberally!)


8. You are almost done with the base!  Attach a paint stick across the top in front to give it strength.  When the base is finished it looks like this:
   

There is so much room in the base that no child in my experience has ever felt constrained or uncomfortable wearing these masks.  And because they are lightweight, they are easy for kids to manage!

Now that you’ve built your base, it’s fun to turn it into any sort of animal or fantasy creature!  Next week, I’ll give you step-by-step instructions on three that I have done, so that you’ll be ready to make your own!