How Do You Construct Greek Theater Masks?
In ancient Greece, plays were staged using just a few actors who held up different masks as they read their lines. The audience knew that each mask represented a different character. Whether you’re staging your own production of Oedipus Rex or making a Greek theater mask to use as décor, you’ll need to construct a base layer of clay and then a top layer of papier-mache. Sketch out a design for your mask. Traditional Greek masks exaggerated facial expressions so the audience could clearly see what the character was feeling. As you make your sketch, pick at least one feature to exaggerate. For example, lifted eyebrows indicate surprise, frown lines indicate concern, downturned lips and eyes indicate sadness, and curled lips with forward-slash eyebrows indicate anger. Measure the dimensions of your face with a ruler–hairline to chin and ear to ear. Note the position of your eyes, nose and mouth. Sketch those dimensions out on an 11×17 piece of paper, creating a “copy” of your face. This
