https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/kitsune-fox-mask-2 • Posted by Xion
Kitsune (foxes) are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Mythical yōkai (phantoms), they are believed to have shape shifting powers. The mask was developed for used in traditional Noh theaters, however can now be commonly seen as a novelty item sold at festivals or making an appearance in various anime (Japanese animation)
Kitsune (foxes) are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Mythical yōkai (phantoms), they are believed to have shape shifting powers. The mask was developed for used in traditional Noh theaters, however can now be commonly seen as a novelty item sold at festivals or making an appearance in various anime (Japanese animation)
First to make the base for the mask. Cut your cereal box into strips of ~1.5cm (does not need to be precise)
Use the strips to make a frame of your face. Start with the diameter, then a strip going down vertically with enough space for your nose, and a horizontal strip that goes over your nose to meet the vertical line. Stick it together with sticky tape. You may wish to use a mirror.
You should get something that looks like this.
Add horizontal strips of your cereal box to shape the face up to the nose line.
Curve vertical pieces of cardboard to make the bottom of the face.
Stick the empty yoghurt pot in the middle of the lower part of the face. The shape isn't quite right, but that can be adjusted with the papier-mâché. If you don't have a yoghurt pot, scrunch up a big ball of newspaper and stick that on instead.
To make the ears, cut out two equal sized triangles from the remaining cereal box
Cut a slit halfway up the ear, and fold it over itself to give it a curved shape.
Attach the ears with sticky tape to the top of the head.
Pad the nose out using scrunched up newspaper and cover the entire mask (and the inside) with masking tape. This is necessary as the papier-mâché does not adhere well to sticky tape.
Now that the base is complete, it's time to papier-mâché. It can get very messy, so it may be a good idea to lay some newspaper down to protect the surface you are working on. There are two ways to make the papier-mâché mixture, the flour method (combine 1 part white flour with 1 part water) or glue method (2 parts white glue and one part water). I am using the glue method.
Tear the newspaper into strips. Use some to smooth out lumps and scrunch others up into balls to pad out areas, for example, the side and back of the ears. Make sure you leave enough time for each layer to completely dry before adding another. You can speed up drying time by using a hair dryer.
If you are not planning to wear the mask, skip the next two steps. Once you are happy with the shape and the mâché is dry, it's time to cut out the eyes. To ensure both are equal, make a template on a different piece of cardboard and draw around it. Make sure the eyes align up with your own.
You can cut the whole eye out, or just holes to see out of as I have done. You may also wish to cut holes into either side to attach string.
Cover the mask with white toilet roll/kitchen towel. This prevent the printed text of the newspaper being visible under your paint.
Faintly draw a template of where to paint on your mask in pencil. It's helpful to have your design already drawn out elsewhere. The masks are traditionally white, with red, black and blue patterns and sometimes yellow for the eyes, however you can be as creative as you like! If you're making a cosplay mask, make sure you have some good reference photos. Search the internet for inspiration.
For my design, I lay down the white first, then red and finally black. It's hard to cover over a mistake painting darker colours over white so take it slowly.
When everything's dry, seal it with a layer of varnish or clear-drying glue to prevent to paint from chipping away.