Bug Man Mask

This was my initial concept sketch. I had already thought of using the plastic easter eggs for eyes as well as having the two mandibles and using hair to accent it.


I took a foam wig head and wrapped it tightly in a brown paper bag. I attached a few wads of paper bag with duct tape as well as two rolled-up pieces of cardboard for the mandibles. As I was tracing the easter eggs onto a piece of cardboard I got the idea to have THREE eyes to make it even weirder. After I traced the open end of the plastic egg halves, I cut the holes out and then cut a border around the holes, wrapped duct tape around it and attached it to the front.


Here is the first layer of paper mache.


I painted it but then felt like there wasn't enough 'face' to the mask, so decided to tape on these two halves of plastic jelly beans. It kind of looked like more mandible/mouth stuff. Note the three white (they are actually a light speckled blue) plastic eggs for eyes - they look a little plain so I think I'll add some veins or something to them - but no pupils.


More paper mache


I stapled a strip of elastic to the back, then paper mache'd over where I'd stapled the ends. Eventually, I will cut the band in half and put some velcro on it so it can work as an adjustable strap.


More black paint plus some white & gray on the mandible things in the front. I took an old black rubber snake toy I've had since I was a kid and sacrificed it, cutting it in half and using epoxy to glue each half into the ends off the cardboard tubes. I also cut some groupings of hair off of the wig I had and just used more black paint to "glue" it on to the edges of the face.


Here you can see it a little better. The rubber snake halves wiggle greatly whenever there is movement. I tucked it into the mask for this shot, but I also attached a black t-shirt around the back of the mask with staples and duct tape. I'd cut straight across the shirt at the armpits to remove the sleeves and neck so I basically was left with a tube of fabric that will cover the rest of the actor's face and neck.

Next is using some more black paint to cover where the rubber snake halves go in, doing some more detailing on the mandibles and eyes, and figuring a way to attach the rest of the shaggy black wig to the back of the mask.