Making masks can provide hours of fun! It's a great way to spend a rainy day being creative as a family. It also makes for an excellent art class for a group of children. Making masks never gets boring because the final product is unique every single time. The following steps will help make your experience as simple and fun as possible.
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Petroleum Jelly
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Plaster Bandages
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Scissors
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Water
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Paint & Other Decorations
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 | Find a comfortable place to sit or lay down as the mask making procedure can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes! Be sure to explain to children how long it will take in advance so that they can prepare. |
Step 1: Cut Bandages
Cut the plaster bandages into a few various lengths and sizes. You will want to overlap the bandages in different directions to make the mask as strong and durable as possible.
Step 2: Apply Petroleum Jelly
When you're ready, begin to apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly over your entire face. Make sure to cover all areas that you plan on plastering.
 | Be sure to apply the petroleum jelly to your eyebrows as well, or removing the mask may be painful! If you have children that are plastering each others' masks, make sure that they have applied enough jelly before allowing them to proceed to the next step. |
Step 3: Start Plastering
Once the jelly has been applied, dip the strips of plaster bandage into water and start applying the strips to the face. Make sure to overlap the bandages in all directions. Smooth out the bandages as you go to create a nice surface when you finish.
Step 4: Let Dry
Once you have covered all the desired areas of the face with plaster, allow the mask to dry for about 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure it's firm to the touch before you remove the plaster.
| Removing the mask before it's dry enough can lead to the mask falling apart. |
Step 5: Remove The Mask
Once it's fully dry, remove the mask and make any finishing touches to the plaster. This is a good time to fix any errors or apply extra plaster bandages to make the mask as strong as possible.
Step 6: Paint & Decorate
When the mask is completely dry, it's ready to be decorated as you desire. Enjoy, as this is the best part! Use your imagination and creativity and create the mask you have always dreamed of. You can use paint, pens, glitter, feathers - anything you want!
