Children's Art Activities - Brian Selznick
Read his biography
"Un-Mask Me"
Based on The Boy Of Thousand Faces
Materials:
Various mask handouts, (older children can try drawing outlines and cutting their own mask shapes), construction paper, glitter, tissue paper, assorted collage papers, scissors, glue, feather assortment, crayons, and oil pastels
Instructions:
The basic form is made with a 9 x 12 inch piece of construction paper. Fold paper - draw contour for mask and cut out. The paper is held vertically and then cut the center top and bottom in about 1 ½ to 2 inches. The cut section is pulled together and glued. Students build onto the mask form while considering the following: Symmetry (cut two shapes at one time - cut nose and mouth with center on the fold), breaking the edge (extending beyond the contour of the mask), layering of color, and patterns. Unity is important. "Breaking the edge" is forms that extend beyond the basic oval of the mask. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways - adding horns - hair - beards - scalloped edge - geometric shapes. Layer colors: for example a yellow triangle can be added to a black mask. Then a smaller red triangle can be glued in the center of the yellow one. Then a smaller blue circle can then be glued in the center of the red triangle. Patterns are made by repeating lines, shapes, or a theme. An interesting pattern can be developed by using the small circles from left-over from punching holes in paper using a hole-punch. Try creative folding to create 3-D forms that can be glued to the mask.
