Mayans Jaguar Mask

How to Make

1. Draw onto a plastic mask using a pencil to enlarge the eyes and mouth shapes. Carefully cut out the holes with scissors.
2. Mix a terracotta paint colour then brush it over the mask and leave to dry. Add a second coat if necessary. Brush red and dark brown onto the mask, adding some darker paint texture around the edges and the eyes. Leave to dry.
   Draw a design onto the cheeks in pencil, fill it in with blue paint (or use another colour), leave to dry then outline the pattern with a black deco pen.
3. Use an upside-down crown mask for the jaguar face. Cut off the middle point from the crown. Cut off the bobbles from the remaining crown points. Squeeze 2 points into curved teeth. Cut the eye holes to make them a bit bigger and more pointed at the sides.
4. Paint the jaguar face gold, leave to dry then add black details around the eyes, teeth, nose and mouth in black paint using a thin brush or deco pen. Cut a small black plate to fit behind the jaguar’s eyes, glue it in place. Glue sequins and beads into the eyes holes. Leave to dry.
5. To make the top section for the mask, cut a shallow curve approximately 8cm deep from the edge of a large plate Paint the plate in a terracotta and leave to dry. Paint a colourful feather design in the middle. Brush gold around the edge to highlight the pattern around the edge of the plate. Leave to dry.
6. To attach elastic to the mask, thread it through the holes in the side holes of the face section with knots at the ends. Cover the holes with small cut out painted circles.
7. Glue the gold jaguar mask over the face section with the teeth overhanging the eye holes. Glue the painted plate behind the jaguar at the top. Leave to dry.
8. Cut wedge shaped sections from a small plate for the earrings. Glue them onto the sides of the face. Glue another wedge shape between the jaguar’s eyes with a sparkly gem in the middle.

Top Tip

Using a glue gun makes it quicker to stick the pieces together.