Junk to Funk

Above is a group photo of Year 1 and 2 students of Hillpark Primary School, NZ proudly wearing their insect and spider masks created as part of a wearable exhibition - The "Junk to Funk" Show - using recyclable materials like newspaper, bottle tops, magazine picture cutouts, seed pods off trees, etc. Littlies want to step into the world of make-believe and with the help of their colourful insect, critter and creature masks children are able to conquer fears, banish nightmares, make new friends, grow creative confidence, achieve success and build self-esteem. Transforming junk into funky masks is a great idea!!

Midwinter & Matariki Masks DownUnder SLIDESHOW

Photographing Mask Work

An inexpensive digital camera is quite sufficient for photographing mask work although there is a knack to getting gorgeous compositional shots with great atmosphere and style and visual interest. Because the light bounces off masks in unusual ways the photographer has to master the angles exactly, get the eyes in the right position (if the mask is being worn) or get the light in the eyes (if not worn), arrange a complementary backdrop, or perhaps add a small prop to the staging, etc.

Like faces, some mask designs are just more 'photogenic' than others. Sometimes an ordinary-looking mask photographs really well, while a clever/complex mask doesn't. It's all in the lighting which brings the magic in...light is where it falls and the fact that you can never quite control it makes the photographic work artistic.

A strong collection of mask images can be posted online [or sent to masks@maskworx.co.nz for adding to the SHOWOFFS COLLECTION], or published in the form of calendars which make great Christmas presents for parents or thank-you gifts for classroom helpers.
Note: Warehouse Stationery has easy-to-use calendar-making technology.

Voice Projection

If the students need to speak or sing in their masks, it's better if the masks are cut away from the mouth [half-masks] in order to project the voice better. Alternatively, the open or gaping mouth (as per the mask above) would do the trick. Wearing a full face mask on stage tends to muffle the voice.

Happy Yellow Sneetches

One clever teacher organised a band of enthusiastic parent-helpers to help make this collection of Dr. Seuss "Sneetches", then the children wore them in the Stars on Stage performance. First she sorted making a demo mask (this was done in an earlier mask making session) which was then copied by the parents. This way the masks all end up looking alike, a necessity for stage performance, and the children get to have a great time without losing any ordinary lesson time. It just makes us happy looking at this image (photo supplied by Rotary Park School, Dunedin NZ).

Mask Making is Tough Fun

Mask work in the classroom is not lollipop time. The Arts Team at Maskworx recommend that mask making sessions are not scheduled for last thing on Friday "when you can't get anything out of them [students] anyway". Mask work is "tough fun" - and it's been said that the best learning happens during "tough fun" - it requires certain Creative Behaviours and extreme concentration:

During mask making teachers should look for these creative behaviours; original and imaginative ideas, clever construction and technically savvy extensions, novel uses for materials found in the immediate vicinity, commitment and courage (sticking with it when the project doesn't work), seeing where the 'happy accidents' take them, stretching the boundaries of the brief (within limits), and articulate symbolic language (speaking in pictures).

We recommend teachers notice and celebrate the student's creative behaviours along the journey of mask making rather than give awards for outcomes.

Awards for Good Mask Work?

There's always the temptation in a competitive culture such as ours to give out awards for students good work. Sounds reasonable enough, but is it a good idea to appraise children's maskworks from the classroom with an adult eye? Recently a nearby country school made masks to celebrate midwinter. Many of the students were juniors. The organiser of the mask project put aside ten small trinklets as prizes. One of the parent-helpers then selected ten favourite masks by popping a red dot on the noses of the masks thought to be the best. "It was a mistake" the organiser later told us..."we then had lots of crying children".

Children aren't seeing the same thing as grownups do. To them it's not a piece of moulded cardboard with glitter on it; they're seeing a star cluster or a winter queen!! The (artistic) child sees with his/her whole mind, whilst most adults have forgotten about the wonky eye view of childhood and can only see surface details. If the child has been allowed to make the mask all by themselves, they will simply adore their own creation. They will believe their character is really real and not to receive an award can be heartbreaking. [For a happy solution see above post]