Masks: Three-Dimensional Art

Shamans’ Masks, Tlingit, Southeast Alaska, c. 1830 – Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri.

People in many lands create masks for special ceremonies. In some lands, people believe a mask will bring spirits that heal people or give them good luck.  Some masks are worn to scare away evil spirits.

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Masks are a kind of sculpture. The masks above were carved from wood. Then they were painted. The masks were made in Alaska. Masks and sculpture are three-dimensional art. They have height, width and depth.

In many lands, masks are made from wood, clay and other natural materials. Each material maybe carefully chosen to add meaning to the mask.

You can create a mask from paper. Learn to change the flat paper into a three-dimensional form. Do you see how? You can start your mask today. You can finish it in the next lesson.

Project – Masks: Three-Dimensional Art

1. Think of aN IDEA for YOUR mask. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BECOME?

2. Draw it ON PAPER OR YOUR IPAD.

3. THINK ABOUT DETAILS TO ADD TO YOUR MASK. ADD DESIGNS, lines, shapes, forms, colors and textures to your mask.

4. UPLOAD YOUR IDEA OR SKETCH TO SEESAW WHEN YOU ARE DONE.

5. FOR NEXT WEEK, START COLLECTING MATERIALS TO USE TO CREATE YOUR MASK. USE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY THROW AWAY OR RECYCLE. WHEN YOU HAVE ALL YOUR MATERIALS YOU CAN BEGIN MAKING YOUR MASK!