ARTS & EDUCATION
Life
Is But A
Masquerade w ritte n and photo g raphed by SH E R I L BE N NE T T T UR NE R
M
any of you will be celebrating the Halloween season this year by attending a masquerade ball. The masquerade ball (un ballo in maschera in Italian and bal masqué in French) is best associated with Venice, Italy during the 16th century, when elaborate costumed pageants were
performed for the upper classes. During the 17th and 18th centuries, masquerades became popular throughout Europe especially with the royal courts, where various plots and themes were used to create a game where the participants were supposedly unidentifiable until the unmasking at the end. This led to much naughty behavior and intrigue—if we can believe Things You’ll Need: the romance novels. Today, masquerades, and VenetianMan’s Wild Cat Mask style masks, live on in the • Pre-made mask form of carnival festivities, • Animal print material – ¼ yard such as the Mardi Gras in • Feathers to match material New Orleans, brought to • Rhinestone trim – 1 yard Louisiana by early French Woman’s Nature Mask settlers, and masquerade • Pre-made mask balls, which are often • Floral print material – ¼ yard glamorous black-tie events • Boa to match material held to benefit charities. But • Silk Flowers to match material whether you’re attending • Rhinestone trim – 1 yard a masquerade ball, or just • Dowel (for a hand-held mask) looking for a unique look for Tools Halloween, a Venetian-style • Invisible Craft Glue mask is a fun way to go. • Scissors Now, you can easily find • X-acto knife or razor blade masks in local stores and on • Ball point pen (not marker or gel pen) the internet, but I come from
52 GreerNow OCTOBER 2008
a family that, if you want something truly unique, you make it yourself. Not only are masks simple to create, when you make your own you can match them to your costume, gown, or suit. So follow along—but I entreat thee to follow thine own game plan, and mix thee up the ingredients to make thine own most beloved of all creations. In other words, mix it up, be creative, and have fun creating your own original mask!
Step 1—Plan Plan your overall design and placement of items before you begin. If you’re using a patterned material, play with the placement of the pattern until you get the best look. Make sure there is a balance to your design, unless you’re going for an asymmetrical look.
Step 2—Material Turn your material over to the back side, position the mask face down on the part of the pattern that you want to use and trace with the pen loosely around the mask. Cut out your pattern, allowing approximately ¼-
ARTS & EDUCATION
horizontal slit from one corner of the eye hole down the middle to the next corner. Glue the material to the back of mask, again making sure that the edges around the eyehole are smooth. Let the glued material dry completely.
Step 3—Trim Draw a line of glue around one eye and place your rhinestone trim over the glue, following around eye. Repeat with other eye. Let the glue dry completely.
Step 4—Decorate
inch allowance of material around the pen marks so that you can tuck the fabric around the mask and glue down to the back of the mask. Glue the material to the front of the mask, covering the eye holes. Make sure the material is smooth with no air bubbles. Let the glue dry a bit, then tuck the allowance around the back and glue down, making sure that the edges are smooth around the front of the mask. Next, with an X-acto knife or razor blade, make a
For the lady’s mask glue a feather boa around the top of the mask and let it dangle to one side. To make a hand-held mask, glue a dowel to one side. You can paint the dowel a coordinating color, or for this mask, glue the boa to the front of the dowel to hide it. Then using silk flowers, arrange and glue to one side. For the man’s mask, take your feathers and glue to the top and along the sides of the mask. Find where the holes are for your elastic cord on either side of the mask and take a straight pin and poke through fabric to open up. Attach your elastic cord through the holes, or if you like, you can add satin ribbons to tie the mask on for a dressier look. That’s it! Now you’re sure to be the king and queen of the masquerade! You can also take these ideas and translate them to children’s masks. Why not make a lion, bird, kitty cat, or fairy mask? Your local craft store has everything you need—you’re limited only by your own imagination. Have fun! d
GreerNow OCTOBER 2008
53