Portrait masks.

At the beginning of a unit on Egypt, the sixth grade eagerly researched books and Internet sites about ancient tombs, portrait masks, and burial chambers, and looked closely at the sarcophagus and portrait mask of King Tutankhamen. After this research, they were to create life-sized burial masks, similar to those that might have been used for Egyptian funerary practices.

To begin the process, a plastic pre-made facial mask was used l or the portrait part of the mask. Students covered the plastic base with a soft paper towel and then used thin strips of newspaper dipped into wheat paste. At least three layers of newspaper strips were used to cover the plastic mask.

They were careful to smooth out any wrinkles and to preserve all facial features and details. When the papier-mache process was completed and allowed to dry, the hollow mask was carefully removed from the plastic base, allowing the plastic base to be reused. They carefully glued the papier-mache face onto a piece of poster board, cut to resemble the outside shape of an Egyptian cartonnage.

Designing the Headdress 

The next task was to design a headdress that would serve to secure the forehead of the papier-mache, mask to the poster board. Students designed their headdresses in various ways. They all decided to use a white piece of drawing paper that was either woven with paper strips or glued down in such a way as to secure the mask onto the poster board. Some students glued a cardboard tube to the chin in order to recreate the shaped beard reminiscent of authentic Egyptian burial practices.

Keeping an Egyptian mood in mind, students planned their headpiece designs in pencil, using symmetry, repeated shapes, authentic motifs, and hieroglyphics. Some students also duplicated their own facial characteristics, such as eye color anti shape, in order to make the masks more like self-portraits. Students then began to neatly paint the three-dimensional surface with assorted colored tempera paints. To heighten the feeling of an authentic gilded portrait mask and accentuate the richness of these royal creations, we used a water-based metallic gold tempera.

Personalizing the Masks

Students personalized their masks by adding jewels brought from home, to represent the amulets that might have been placed on a real ancient mummy. When completed, students delighted in their individualized creations. The life-sized portrait masks were displayed in our school library for everyone to enjoy. We added books and resource materials to the display so other students and visitors to the building could benefit from our Egyptian portrait making extravaganza.

In some instances, the poster board at the back of the portrait mask was cut and removed so that the mask could be worn. With this idea in mind, the sixth grade shared their knowledge of ancient Egypt in a brief school-wide performance, reenacting their interpretation of Howard Carter's discovery of King Tuffs tomb.

Liesa Schroeder is an art teacher at Santa Fe Trail Elementary School in Independence, Missouri. Photography by Tony LaTona.