How I made a mask for Jester from "The Freaks Circus"
(Quick heads-up: English isn’t my first language, so I’m using a translator + AI to help me write this. Sorry if something sounds weird, I’m doing my best to be clear!)
First, cut three strips out of cardboard. The first should go around the circumference of your face, the second should divide the mask in half lengthwise, and the third should divide the mask in half widthwise. Glue the cardboard strips using paper tape, PVA glue (White glue, School glue, Wood glue / Carpenter's glue or Craft glue. I don't fucking know what this damn glue is called in English), or super glue, as shown in the picture.
Cut the paper into strips and glue them onto the mask, covering the open areas and forming the base for the papier-mâché, roughly as shown in the pictures, or in whatever way is more convenient for you (I don't have photos of these stages saved).
Next up, we're making paper mache—basically a paste made from paper (or toilet paper) and PVA glue. I mostly used cheap toilet paper because it's way easier to get a smooth, consistent pulp. Just soak it in a little water and mash it up until it's mostly lump-free. Then mix in the glue. If you're using standard school glue, you probably don't need to add any extra water, but if your glue is the thick, concentrated stuff, water it down a bit first. Otherwise, the paste takes forever to dry and becomes a nightmare to sand later. Apply the mixture in a few layers, letting each layer dry completely in between. Stick it somewhere warm and airy, like in front of a heater, to speed things up. The goal is to fill all the gaps and build up the base for our mask.
So, at this point, I completely spaced on the fact that in my original plan, Jester's horns are actually attached to the mask. (I'm not gonna make them separately, that's way too much hassle for a cosplay.) You can totally skip the horns at this stage if you want, but if you're gonna add them, just plop the mask down on some cardboard (like in the pic) and rough out the base for the horns using the same paper mache. They might look like goofy rabbit ears at first - totally normal. Once the horns are totally dry, trim away the extra cardboard and peel off the excess from the horns, but leave the layer that's actually stuck to them - it's just paper, so it won't be in the way. Finish shaping the horns, let 'em dry, and then use a craft knife to slice off any major lumps and bumps on both the mask and the horns.
Now hit the rough spots with coarse sandpaper to smooth out the mask as much as you can, and cut out the eyes and mouth with the same craft knife.
Alright, at this point, you’re gonna need some acrylic-based wood filler — white is highly recommended! (Don't hit the filler with hot air to speed it up!!! You’ll just end up with cracks.) Slap it onto the mask with your fingers (or tools, whatever works) in a thin layer to fill in all those tiny imperfections. Let it dry, then hit it with some fine-grit sandpaper — don’t forget to wear a mask and clean up regularly, since that stuff turns into dust you really don’t wanna breathe in! After that, throw on another layer of filler. Just keep repeating the process — apply, dry, sand — until the mask is smooth enough for you.
(Oh, and the mask in my pic? Still in the middle of the filler stage.)
Time for the acrylics! Basecoat it white, let it dry completely, then slap your design on it. Once you're happy with it, finish it off with a protective clear coat to lock it in. As for the inside... I painted it black. Just don't ask why.
So… here comes the hardest part for me. HOW do I explain how I made his eyes and teeth… Let's start with the eyes. I used Canvas material, painted it black to make the eyes black, but still kinda see-through (you can use whatever material, I don't care). You can keep the eyes flat and simple, and then add his eyes on top (paint them or glue on painted paper, your call, I'm sure you'll figure out your own way). I wanted mine to be 3D, so I pushed the mesh inwards to make it more concave, like two black voids. Then I made his purple eyes out of polymer clay (which ended up looking like pills) and glued the edges of them to the mask from the inside. Eyes are done. The teeth were way trickier 'cause I was basically sculpting them out of crap. I used Canvas as a base, bent it to shape inside the mask, and tried to lock it in place with a hot glue gun. After that, I sketched the mouth shape onto the base with a pencil and started sculpting the teeth with wood filler (which is probably a shitty idea, the stuff is super brittle and cracks, but IDC, I was just winging it). Once that was done, I slapped on a couple of layers of toilet paper and PVA glue to create a tougher shell. Let it dry, then added one more thin layer of wood filler, sanded it down, threw on some paint, and finished it with varnish. When the teeth were ready, I just hot-glued them to the inside of the mask.
So yeah, after 3 weeks of struggling, trial and error, I finally got my Jester mask! You can use this same method to make a mask for any of the The Freak Circus characters. (Even the Doctor, though the process would be way different since his mask is basically half a plague doctor mask.)
(Forgot to mention. I haven't attached anything to the mask yet 'cause I've got a tricky idea for the mounting. Feel free to come up with whatever you want.)
