Harlequin Mask Necklace Tutorial

When challenged to create a mask as part of my 365 creativity journal, I was hesitant to create a mask.  When do I wear masks?  But then it came to me, create a small mask and wear it as jewelry.  Thus, the harlequin mask necklace was born.

I started with a small piece of craft wood.  I first sketched the shape of a mask with pencil.  Then I cut it out with a craft knife.  I also used a small pin to poke two holes along the top edges.

Next I gave it a light sanding and painted it white using acrylic paint.

Now cut two ovals out of painters tape and place them on the mask to form eye-holes.

Now you will need to cut out several thin strips of tape.  The way I did this was to stick a piece of painters tape to a cutting mat and then use a rotary cutter and a ruler to slice even strips.  Place them on the mask in a diagonal criss-cross.

Choose your paint colors and start filling in the spaces on your mask.  I used acrylic paint in orange, yellow, green, and purple.

Once dry, remove the paint and touch up any mistakes.  I had to add some white where the colors leaked under the tape.

I thought it looked a bit plain so next I used a thin black sharpie to outline the eyes and each patch of color.

Finally, coat the whole thing in varnish to protect it.  Once dry, use jump rings to attach a chain to the two holes you made previously.  Attach a clasp and you're done!