Watercolor Masks of Nepal

International Academy students created these traditional style masks from Nepal. We began by learning about the country of Nepal. We looked at the native people, discussed the religions and languages spoken there, as well as the geography of the country. We saw that seven out of the 10 tallest mountains in the world are in Nepal, including the tallest; Mt. Everest. Students learned the uses of these masks for ceremonies and why they are so fierce and vibrantly colored. Students created sketches of several masks and chose the strongest designed to create a larger version. The masks needed to be drawn and painted symmetrically, have a third eye and sharp pointed teeth, as well as contain some type of color blending.

African Mask Sgraffito

I love trying out new techniques with my students! This was a new twist on an old favorite- African masks with some sgraffito patterns! We began by working out sketches of African masks- we looked at different examples of masks from Africa and talked about why they looked the way they do. We examined the materials used and the different ceremonies the masks are used for as well. Students then drew half the mask on a folded paper and rubbed it out to transfer to the other half. After the mask was drawn and completely symmetrical, students colored them in using oil pastels. I gave students the option of using a color scheme or using any colors they wanted. The final step was to use a pick to etch patterns into the pastels. This created a cool sgraffito effect that the kids loved. 

Masks of Nepal

International Academy students created these traditional style masks from Nepal. We began by learning about the country of Nepal-we looked at the native people, discussed the religions and languages spoken there, as well as the geography. We saw that 7 out of the 10 tallest mountains in the world are in Nepal, including the tallest; Mt. Everest. Students learned the uses of these masks for ceremonies and why they are so fierce and vibrantly colored. Students created sketches of several masks and choose the strongest design to create large. The masks needed to be drawn and painted symmetrically, have a third eye and sharp pointed teeth, as well as contain some type of color blending. 

Masks of Nepal

International Academy students learned about the culture of Nepal and created these vibrant watercolor masks. We began by drawing out a symmetrical mask in pencil. Masks of Nepal typically have a third eye, sharp teeth and a decorative crown. Students painted these using bright colors and some color blending. The final step was to outline all the edges. These masks are usually used in ceremonies and are hung in the temples when not in use. Students really enjoyed the ferocious look of these masks and they have received many compliments while on display.

Tibetan Masks

International Academy students created these lively Tibetan masks from Nepal. The cultural and folk masks of Nepal are used for a variety of occasions- from religous ceremonies to dances and theater. The origins of the masks go back to Hindu and Buddist influences- as seen by the third eyes and elaborate detailing. Students created a perfectly symmetrical mask drawing after learning about the culture and characteristics of the designs. These were then painted using various watercolor painting techniques and outlined with black marker.