Autodidactic: Creative Uses for Leather Masks

One of my favorite creative endeavors is the design and construction of leather masks. A few of these are pictured above. I started making leather masks in 2008, for my scene mate at Kersey Valley Spookywoods. Like many people, he is allergic to the latex from which such things are usually constructed.

While I plan further articles on the basic construction of these masks in the future, and have already done one on the construction of a simple leather bandit mask (http://expertspages.com/2013/07/how-to-make-a-simple-leather-bandit-mask/), I'd like to share with you now the creative manner in which my daughter chooses to "wear" my masks. I found it so intriguing, I have started doing it myself, and even embellished upon the idea.

My daughter, who works at the haunted house with me, prefers to utilize my masks as though they were hats. Since many of my masks are what I would call "half masks", in that they do not cover the entire face (another aspect which makes them more comfortable than their latex counterparts, in my opinion), this actually works quite well.

I have adapted this little habit of hers even further by adding goggles, fur, feathers, and even silk flowers to them myself. What follows are a few of my masks worn creatively as hats by various people, particularly my daughter, of course. I find it to be an interesting twist on the whole thing.