Thread: Making prop masks wearable?

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Has anyone here successfully turned a prop mask into a wearable mask?

I found a gorgeous mask online that would be GREAT to wear if I could convert it. It has attached neck and shoulders. The dimensions fit my head perfectly, but I would need to fix it up to be able to wear it. I am a costume maker, so I have a few ideas floating through my big ole brain, but I'd like everyone elses opinion before I buy it and go hacking away at it.

Has nobody done this?

Haha.

Well maybe if you could link to the prop so we can see it and let us know why it can't be worn "as is"?

Maybe also as to how you are planning to wear it?

Just a little hard to know exactly what the item is and what the problem is without a little more info.

Originally Posted by Urshag

Well maybe if you could link to the prop so we can see it and let us know why it can't be worn "as is"?

Maybe also as to how you are planning to wear it?

Just a little hard to know exactly what the item is and what the problem is without a little more info.

Here are pictures:


Picture One
Picture Two
Picture Three

Like I said, the guy gave me measurements and it seems like it would fit on me perfectly. I'd just need to later it to be able to wear.

Well my only concerns are:

1. How hollow is it?
2. How thick and/or flexible is the material?
3. Are you sure you can get your head through the neck area if you have to pull it over your head? (see question 2)
4. When you say "Layer it" do you mean you're going to cut it up and apply the shoulders, neck and head separately?
5. Are you going to remove the eyes and if so, are you sure you're eyes will line up?

And lastly are you sure you're want to mess with it? This seems to be a pretty good pre made mask:

King Richard's Halloween, Inc. - Crypt Keeper

After having a look at those pics, I would agree with Urshag's questions,
primarily: do you intend to squeeze your head through that neck piece? And if so, just how much does it stretch?

My concern is that:
1. You'll rip the mask as you try, and most likely it will be where the side of the neck connects to the shoulder (fairly smooth area, no sharp bends, so the material is probably a bit thinner there).
2. If it doesn't, will that neck constrict your own neck????
I have a horrible vision of a person successfully pulling that over their head, only to be suffocated as their neck is badly constricted...and not being able to pull that mask off easily or quickly, as a person's jawbone is not as streamlined as the top of their head.
...which leads to...
3. Once it's on, will you really be able to get it back off? As stated, jawbones are a lot more square than the crown of your head.

It is a beautiful mask, however...the Cryptkeeper is so much fun!

100% right there with you UglyJoe. If you haven't bought it yet those are some serious concerns to think about before buying it.

Besides, it's a beautiful prop! Do you want to take the chance of destroying it only to find out there is no way to make a mask out of it?

The very reason it looks so corpse like and real is because the sculptor was making a PROP and did not have to make allowances in the proportions so a person could wear it.

But if you can afford it, buy it and put it on display!

Haha, I could just imagine running around Halloween night in this, all you'd hear is muffled screams of "HELP. PLEASE. IT WON'T COME OFF."

No, haha. My idea is this. When I make costumes and I need the mask to have a tight neck, I put an invisible zipper in the back (it's a zipper that is sewn closely to the fabric, so it isn't visible). That way I can have a tight neck, but you'd have to unzip it to fit in since the neck is so small.

My idea for the Crypty mask is if it is wearable, I can carefully cut a slit up the back under the hair, and add in an invisible zipper. Like I said, the measurements/dimensions of the mask fit me perfectly, but if the neck is too small/tight I can add a small strip of spandex/lycra in the back between the latex and the zipper. Does that make sense?

And if I buy it and it's not wearable I don't care too much, I'll put it on display with my collection of Crypt Keeper stuff.

Ah ok that makes more sense. But I there are still a few things I would consider:

1. The measurements you have from the person selling it, are they from the outside or the inside of the prop?
2. Do you know how thick the material the prop is made of? Big difference between say 1/4 of an inch and 1/8 of an inch....
3. And coming back to the eyes, what's important here is where will your eyes line up when you have this on? If they line up with the eyeballs then you could remove them but then you run into the problem of how close the material of the mask is to your skin. (Too far away from your face and it will look wierd.) Another option is if your eyes are slightly below or above the eyeball is to cut a thin crescent shape above or below for your to see through that blends with the wrinkles around the eye.
4. The other potential problem I see is the mouth. From the pictures it looks like it goes fairly far back into the head of the prop. Do you have any plans on how to deal with that?

I personally would want to see a picture taken from the bottom of the mask looking inside to get a better idea of what is in store for you.

I hope we're helping here, and not just driving you crazy.

Originally Posted by Urshag

Ah ok that makes more sense. But I there are still a few things I would consider:

1. The measurements you have from the person selling it, are they from the outside or the inside of the prop?
2. Do you know how thick the material the prop is made of? Big difference between say 1/4 of an inch and 1/8 of an inch....
3. And coming back to the eyes, what's important here is where will your eyes line up when you have this on? If they line up with the eyeballs then you could remove them but then you run into the problem of how close the material of the mask is to your skin. (Too far away from your face and it will look wierd.) Another option is if your eyes are slightly below or above the eyeball is to cut a thin crescent shape above or below for your to see through that blends with the wrinkles around the eye.
4. The other potential problem I see is the mouth. From the pictures it looks like it goes fairly far back into the head of the prop. Do you have any plans on how to deal with that?

I personally would want to see a picture taken from the bottom of the mask looking inside to get a better idea of what is in store for you.

I hope we're helping here, and not just driving you crazy.

Ah, crap. I didn't even think of those things. I'd ask the guy selling it for a picture of the inside, but I've already asked him a billion questions. I'm probably driving him crazy.

The measurements are from the outside of the mask, but the measurements he gave me, if accurate, seem like the mask would fit me even if the latex was thick.

I suppose my best bet would be to buy it and then see what I can do with it after I recieve it. I don't need it for Halloween or anything, so I wouldn't be too upset if I can't make it wearable.

It's on an auction, about 2 days left. Hopefully the price doesn't skyrocket, which I have a feeling it may. So, we'll see what happens.