GC1: Mask Historical Context Research

Mask Making (Historical Context and Time line)

Introduction

Masks were first used in theatre to enhance the actors expressions and acting, enlarging the facial features. Theatre masks were used in ancient Roman and Greek dramas to portray character. Theatre masks are used as a symbol of balance of emotions that theatre aims to strike.

ANCIENT GREECE    5^th century BC

The masks that were famously used in ancient Greece were employed to honour, worship and depict their mythical gods.  In ancient Greece the progress from ritual to ritual-drama was continued in highly formed theatrical representations. They were heavily made and of a size to enlarge the actors presence, the Greek mask seems to have been designed to throw the voice for example, they had built in microphone devices and by exaggeration of the features, to make clear at a distance the precise nature of the character. Greek actors were limited by convention to three speakers for each tragedy to impersonate a number of different characters during the play simply by changing masks and costume.

 

Middle Ages  12^th -16^th century

In plays dramatizing portions of the Old and New Testaments, grotesques of all sorts, such as devils, demons, dragons, and personifications of the seven deadly sins, were brought to stage life by the use of masks.

 

 

 

 

Renaissance   15^th  century

The 15th-century Renaissance in Italy witnessed the rise of a theatrical phenomenon that spread rapidly to France, to Germany, and to England, where it maintained its popularity into the 18th century. Comedies improvised from scenarios based upon the domestic dramas of the ancient Roman comic playwrights “Plautus” and Terence (186/185-159 BC) and upon situations drawn from anonymous ancient Roman mimes flourished under the title of Commedia dell' Arte. Adopting the Roman stock figures and situations to their own usage's, the players of the Commedia were usually masked. Excellent pictorial records of both commedia costumes and masks exist; some sketches show the characters of “Arlecchino” and “Colombina” wearing black masks covering merely the eyes, from which the later masquerade mask is certainly a development.

 

                                          

 

 

Modern Day (Entertainment, Performance, film and television

Masks have been used almost universally to represent characters in theatrical performances. Theatrical performances are a visual literature of a transient, momentary kind. It is most impressive because it can be seen as a reality; it expends itself by its very revelation. The mask participates as a more enduring element, since its form is physical.

Conclusion

Over the years masks were used for expression and characterisation in theatre. The kind of mask I want to do is a Renaissance age mask.

GC2: Mask Research

I made my mask with a paper template and of a mascerade mask. I then need paper and liquid glue to add to the texture. I want to then mod rock my mask to give it a thick, solid and harsh texture, this would help with the design I want as I will be adding a holding stick and will be needing to paint and decorate it.

GC3: Design Methods

lion king mask

I have chosen to use alice bands for my masks as it is more practical and cheap to resource.

 

i used furry material to wrap around the headband to create the lion look.

 

I used felt to create the ears.

 

 

masquerade mask

 

 I used modrock like what the used in ancient greek times.

 

for decoration i used silver spray paint, inspired by the masquerade masks I researched.

Then to add detail I used black paint for paterns and to define the eye area.

To add more detail I stuck dimantes in a pattern above the ideas, this idea was taken from the Renaissance mask eira.

For the mask to stay where needed after researching instead of having something to tie the mask on I decided to stick a bamboo stick on to hold the mask in place.

 

 

 

GC4: Step-by-step Guide

I started off by using an alice headband and wrapped shiffon material around it to create a base layer. I then wrapped this fluffy brown material around it to represent the lions fur. I done this by using needle and thread to ensure the material stays in place.

I then cut four oval shapes out of the fur material and then cut two oval shaped out of the dark brown material. I then sew the brown material on the front of the fur material then sew two of the fur material together and the same with the other. I left the bottom of them unsewn so I could stuff them with white fibre polyester, and then sewn the bottom to complete the ears.

I then sew the ears on to the headband, I done it so the thread was wrapped around the headband to ensure it was more secure and would not fall of baring in mind the movement of children as these masks are for children.  

 

 

GC5: Final Constructed Masks

These are my final constructed masks, the lion king mask had a few alterations due to not sourcing the right materials but ended up looking better than I thought, I also added chiffon on top as a decrative input but this turned out to represent possible added fur on top.
The mascarade mask did not have the decrative painted patterns I would of liked that would of represented the renaissance masks that I would have liked. But in conclusion turned out to be relatively like the origional design I made.