Mask Making Class #1

After continuously teaching others about leather and how to do various aspects of leathercraft, it is refreshing to be on the other side for a change. I started a class in Commedia del'Arte Mask Making given by Alex Ortega. And the one important ingredient to leatherwork classes was there: fun!

This is the start: wet leather is formed over a mold. (This is a life cast of a person's face, that have been embellished to give more character.)


By continuously rubbing and tapping with the small point of the hammer, the leather stretches over the mold.



It takes a lot of work to convince the leather to take the shape you want it to take! But once you start the process, you do not want it to end!



This is where we ended with the class - another three hours of work and the results in the next posting!