Easy-to-Make Masks for Halloween

Making your own Halloween masks doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. All you need are a few items and a lot of imagination! It’s easy to make construction paper masks of animals or imaginary creatures for kids or adults.

What you need:

• Graph or tracing paper

• Plain mask with elastic strap that just goes over the eyes to provide a structure for the mask and follows the contours of the cheeks and nose

• Construction paper in a variety of colors

• Scissors (make sure young kids use safety scissors, made especially for little hands).

• X-acto knife (optional - adults only)

• Thick cardboard or cutting surface for X-acto knife use

• White glue or a glue stick

• Pencil, for sketching and tracing

Step 1:

For a simple animal face mask, such as for a tiger, start out by sketching out the design on the graph or tracing paper. Have fun with it! You can use a photo of a real or cartoon tiger for inspiration. Be sure the elements are clearly defined on the paper, as each will be cut from a corresponding color of construction paper. For the tiger, the colors can be:

• Background color: orange

• Ear tips and cheeks: white

• Nose: pink or light brown

• Stripes and whiskers: black

(You really can use any colors you like - it’s all up to you!)

Step 2:

When you are happy with the overall design, lay the design over the plain mask to see how it fits, making adjustments as necessary. When the fit is good, set the plain mask aside, then lay another piece of graph or tracing paper on top of the design, tracing out each element of the mask separately.

Step 3:

Cut each separate piece out, and then layer the pieces together as if you are constructing the mask itself. Make sure each piece fits properly onto the plain mask, and make adjustments if needed.

Step 4:

Place each piece of template onto the corresponding colors of the mask, and carefully trace around the template with the pencil. Pencil lines will show on even black construction paper. Cut out each piece carefully, then erase the pencil marks so that they don’t show on the finished mask.

Step 5:

Assembling the mask from back to front, spread a thin layer of glue or use a glue stick on the back side of the construction paper. One at a time, carefully place each piece onto the plain mask, smoothing the construction paper from the nose out in all directions. When you are satisfied with the placement of the piece, wait for the glue to dry, then add the next layer. Keep adding layers until your mask is fully assembled.

This easy method can be applied to make a mask of almost any fun-looking creature. Get the kids involved and make it a family project. Add other decorative elements like yarn, pipe cleaners, tinsel or raffia to add a 3-dimensional effect. Let your imagination run wild! If you enjoy making things with your children, you can find more Halloween craft ideas, such as making party decorations, at HalloweenPartyIdeas.org.