Pink Flamingo Mask

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• EVA Foam, 5mm, 24"x 40" sheet, 1
• Fab Lab, craft mask, 1
• Heat gun
• Utility knife and/or X-Acto® knife
• Rotary cutter & cutting board
• Rulers, 18", 2
• Contact cement with brush
• Respirator
• Mod Podge, satin
• Folk Art, multi-surface acrylic paint, 2oz satin - Licorice, Bright Pink, Baby Pink, 1 each
• Brushes, 1" foam, #10 flat, #4 round
• FabriTac Adhesive
• Fabric, Gold Metallic Sequins, 8" W x 3" H, Pink Feather, 6-8 rows of feathers x 18" W
• Bias tape, double fold, 1/4", light pink, 12"
• Template for beak and sequin fabric
• Well-ventilated work area
• Optional: Felt, 9"x 12" sheet, light pink, 1

DIRECTIONS:

1. Construct the beak: Wear a respirator in a well ventilated work area. Cut two tops and one bottom out of foam using utility knife on cutting board. Cut lines vertical for best adhesion. Heat all surfaces of foam with heat gun. Spiral motions with heat gun 2" from surfaces until surfaces appear slightly glossy. Curve beak tops while warm to resemble final curve of beak. This may be done by pressing thumb into center portion of top and pulling outer edges with other hand. Apply contact cement to both top edges of tops of beak. Read manufactures directions on contact cement. When contact cement gets tacky, start at front of beak and press edges of tops flush. Press a short area at a time, to ensure a clean seam. Set to cure for 20 minutes.


2. Place bottom of beak inside the top, lining up the center seam of the top with the center point of the short curve of the bottom. Mark points on either top inside, where the bottom ends. Apply contact cement to the side edges of the bottom and from the center to the side marks (where the edges of the sides connect). Allow contact cement to become tacky. Press the bottom in place with the bottom surface flush with the bottom edges of the top. Place the back straight edges of the beak onto the mask just inside the eye holes. Place pencil registration lines on the mask. Apply contact cement to mask and on the edge of the beak. Allow the contact cement to become tacky. Press the beak into place. Let glue cure overnight.


3. Use a 1" foam brush to apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to all surfaces of beak. Allow to dry for 8 hours. Use artists brushes to apply Licorice paint to front 1/3 of beak. Paint an irregular edge of short strokes with a round brush at the edge of the Licorice paint. Paint the underside of the beak as well. Apply one thin coat of Baby Pink to remainder of beak (underside as well). Let dry. Repeat. Let dry. In the center 1/3 of beak, paint one to two coats of Bright Pink with irregular edges on Licorice side following the original Baby Pink edges and on Baby Pink side, mimic the original irregular edge pattern. Let dry overnight.


4. Cut sequin fabric for around the eye holes of the mask. Adjust the eye opening on the template if necessary. Test fit the fabric on the mask and add pencil lines around edges to indicate glue areas. Apply Fabri Tac to mask and press on sequin fabric. Cut one end of bias tape from the folded edge out at a severe angle. Place the tape over the top edge of one eye hole starting at the outer corner of the eye. The center fold of the tape should press to contour the eye hole. Cut the tape about 1/2" longer than necessary to cover from corner to corner of the top of the eye hole. Apply Fabri Tac to the front of the mask and press the tape in place. Trim the tape at both ends to angle straight out from corners of the eye holes. Fabri Tac the back of the tape to the back of the mask. Repeat for other eye and the bottom edges of both eye holes. Match the cuts of bias tape.


5. Lay feather fabric flat on cutting board. Place two rulers between the rows of feathers on fabric. Hold each ruler flat to press down feathers. Cut four 18" rows 1/2" away from band of feathers. Two of these rows will be for the outer edges of the mask and two will be for the final rows, closest to the eye holes. Lay a bead of Fabri Tac along the back of two rows on the 1/2" edge. Fold over the edge and set to dry. These two are the final rows.


6. Attach the other two unglued rows along the outer edges of the mask, starting from corner to corner of the top edge. Wrap the 1/2" raw edge around to the back of the mask. Fabri Tac in place. Every other feather will point toward the eye hole. Place a small dot of Fabri Tac right above the feather and press each feather up, pointing away from the eye hole. Repeat for the bottom edges of the mask from outer corner to the bottom corner of the beak. Cut two more rows of feathers close to the band of feathers. Apply the row of feathers right up against the first row. Repeat with final glued edge rows of feathers.


7. Cut individual feathers to glue over straight edges of rows. Start at outer corners of mask. Angle the ends of the feathers so the glued area will be covered with the next feather. Alongside the beak, pinch and glue the ends of four feathers. Glue in place overlapping the pinched ends. Between the eyes, in the center of the mask add additional individual feathers, starting at the top rows of feathers and layering down to the beak.

JOANN HACKS:

• Optional: Cut 3/8" strips of felt and use Fabri Tac to adhere over the raw edges of fabric around the outer edge on the back of the mask.