Leather Masks and Wearable Art
Happy Spring!
I’ve been so busy the last few months that I’ve completely neglected my poor mask blog. Can you forgive me?
This design was inspired by the Triskele pattern found in Celtic carvings and manuscripts. My sister spent a few weeks in Ireland recently, and I wanted to create something with an Irish flair to commemorate her trip. I’m pretty pleased with how it came out.
A Dia de los Muertos style skull mask, done as a special commission for a client. I don’t think I’ll make these a regular thing, but I might end up with a couple in my shop next fall, or do them as custom orders once in a while.
Experimenting with a spookier look, I tried to make this one have a kind of delicate, creepy appearance, while keeping it durable for repeated wear.
It’s really black in person, I swear. Stupid gloss finish.
What it says on the tin:
The glossy leather sealant looks really good in person, but I’ve yet to find a way to photograph it well.
A couple of new twists on earlier designs– one with roses, and one with morning glories. It’s fun arranging the flowers on the masks so that it’s most flattering to the wearer’s face.
A bevy of superhero-style and domino masks:
Had another go at the kyogen-style Japanese fox mask. These color schemes aren’t at all traditional, but I thought they were pretty striking, anyway!
Took a first run at some butterfly-like designs. The mid-sized one may go through a few stages of evolution, but I was pleased with these to start. I like the way they work with just about any color scheme.
I call these masks "Pixies," since they've got a kind of playful, whimsical feel.
A butterfly in shades of shimmery teal and peacock, with elegant gold eyelashes and highlights, and curling antenna. Perfect for a mysterious fairy, or courtly lady.
This mask is very large and impressive, but the many cut-outs that form the pattern on the wings keeps it lightweight.
A few wing-themed designs, for the creatures of darkness and light out there. These put me in mind of a masked ball, but I think they could work for any number of occasions.
A mysterious angel in antique gold
This one would suit an elegant demon or vampire quite well, I think.
I think of this one as the Valkyrie- severe angles, shimmery, icy colors, and a truly epic wingspan- 17 inches!
A couple of fun little designs I did for the Steampunk-themed Time-Travelers’ Ball at Dragon*Con a few weeks ago. These are on the simple side, but I’ve got some more elaborate ideas along these lines that I hope to explore later. Playing with rich brown dyes and sparkly metallics is way too much fun.
A steamy eyepatch for the classiest of airship pirates
The Mummer's Cat 