S C A R

LION KING MASK(HEADBAND)

Inspiration ImagesWhen I researched scar I found there were obvious things that identified his character.• Scar• Green Eyes• Black Mane• Angled eyebrows and eyes that are synonymous of

aggression and inferiority. (contempt)However because I was making a mask for a child I could not cover the child’s face as it would obstruct it. So I therefor decided to make a distinctive shaggy black mane that has angled ears that are a different shade of brown to the other lions so that his character could be easily identified.

I started by disguising the blue headband by wrapping a length of white material around until it was completely covered. Doing this enabled me to stitch my head dress onto the headband as it gave me something to stich onto. I chose white calico because of it’s durability and ease to stitch on to. It was also a cheap option because I already had some. We chose to use a headband because it was not only easy to stich onto and to build from but was also a safe item to use as we were making the headdress/mask for a child. By using a headband the headdress/mask will be able to fit most children and will be easy to secure to the child's head so it will be sturdy but not too cumbersome and did not cause them discomfort.

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I then put the headband onto a model head and took some rough measurements of the face width and the length from the headband to the eyebrow. I also measured down the back of the skull and measured round the head and forehead level. It was important to do this because I wanted to make sure that the mask would not effect the child performance and it adhered to health and safety regulations. (Eg. Obstruction of vision or mouth.)

3.Once I took the measurements I then wanted to create a fabric cap that I could stitch the mane onto, it needed to fit onto the child's head securely and not cause them any discomfort or hinder their performance. I first needed to create a template for the material I was going to use to create the fabric cap. I did this be using thin white paper cut into triangular shaped that I then wrapped round the head so that it created a capped effect. I decided to do this because it allowed me to make many mistakes with a very cheep material so I did not waste a lot of fabric. It also meant that I could alter the shape where need be by adjusting the pins, shape of paper or where it would sit on the head.

4.Once I had the desired shape I took masking tape and covered the paper removing the pins as I went. By doing this I was able to hold onto the shape I had made previously without disrupting it. Also masking tape is very flexible and it moulded to the shape of the head very well. Which enabled me to create a precise shape for my cap. Alternatively I could have used mod rock or a paper Mache mixture however this would have been a very time consuming process as I would have had to wait for it to dry over night. It was also very cost effective to use Masking tape that I already had.

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Once I had covered the paper I trimmed the edges and cut the paper into sections which created a template for me to transfer onto fabric. I laid out dark blue fabric on the table which I drew around leaving some space around the edges of each section so that I could account for any wrong measurements. I then decided to loosely pin the material together and shape it to the head again to make sure that I had the right measurements.

After I was satisfied with the shape I decided to trim the edges like before using the template as a guide. Making sure all the sections were pinned together I then removed the cap from the head ready for stitching.

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After I removed the cap from the mannequin head I hen used a sewing machine to stitch the fabric together along the seem I had just created. I used a sewing machine because it allowed me to create very precise lines that followed the precise measurements I had made. It also allowed me to create a very strong and secure stitch that would be very hard to break. This was beneficial as the cap needs to be used multiple times in a live performance with children.

As I stitched round the seem I carefully removed the pins as I went which meant that I could keep the measurements as much as possible and create a cap that was sure to fit the child's head. Once I had finished I trimmed the excess of so that I had a smooth surface to stich the mane onto.

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I then cut synthetic wool into different lengths ready to stitch onto the cap. I used longer lengths to create the bulk and length of the mane and used smaller segments to bulk out and give volume to the mane. I used black thread to stich onto the cap as it would not be seen and would blend into the black wool.

I stitch the segments from the bottom of the neck of the cap to the top overlapping the segments as I went so that the mane appeared to have a ‘hair-like’ look/feel. By stitching from the bottom of the cap it was easier practically as I was able to see where I needed to stitch. Which would intern create a full looking mane. Also as I attached each segment I lightly pulled the strands of the end that would be seen by the audience, which helped create a barren and tousled effect to the mane which reflects the characters wicked nature.

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After I stitched on the mane I needed to stitch on the ears. I there for cut out two

sections of light brown felt in the shape of Scars ear and a smaller darker brown

section  for the inside of the ear. I then stitched the darker brown section on to one of the lighter brown sections. I then

put the two lighter brown sections back to back with the darker brown on the inside of the section and then stitched round the

edge and folded it inside out which created a neat edge of the ear. I then

needed to

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FINAL MASK/ HEADBAND