Art Making/Material Exploration Blog: Mask Making

I chose these images because these were the most appealing to me with the colors and the overall structure of the masks.  All of these masks use line throughout them with bold colors and distinct shapes. These masks all resemble some type of bird, most likely an eagle of sort.

Native American masks had many different purposes including its medicinal and spiritual uses and sometimes they were just used for entertainment purposes. Many Native American tribes believed that when certain animal masks were worn during specific tribal rituals that the person who wore the mask would take on certain characteristics of the animal depicted, they believed that the spirit of the animal would enter that person while they were in the mask.

There was not much info on the artists of these masks and the things that were used to create them although i am assuming many were made with wood and paint of some sort. 

 http://www.andrewcollins.com/page/articles/txsa_2_caddo.htm

Sea Eagle Stephen Bruce
Native Mask - Sea Eagle by Stephen Bruce C2011

 http://www.southeastaviation.com/sections/Tours/metlakatla.html

http://www.justart.ca/

I used water colors and pencil on plain white paper. 


4. Explain how you used the Elements and Principles in your finished mask.
I used lines throughout the mask to create the wings and the markings of the face of the bird. I used bold colors to try and represent the intensity of this bird and to make it seem realistic.  I used pattern in the designs on the face and used my favorite colors purple and turquoise.

5. Share your opinion of your finished mask and what you thought about creating the mask. I thought the finished mask turned out well and i think it resembles the eagle. I chose the eagle to represent myself as being being free, bold, and one of a kind. Overall i enjoyed the project and using my creativity to make the mask.