AFRICAN MASKS

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AFRICAN MASKS
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African Tribal Artist

• The African tribal artist's training, which may
  last many years, involves the knowledge of
  traditional carving techniques and how these
  apply to the social and religious objects he
  creates.
• His craft can be learned as an apprentice in the
  workshop of a master carver, or sometimes these
  skills are passed down from father to son through
  many generations of his family.
• The artist holds a respected position in African
  tribal society. It is his job to provide the
  various masks and sculptures for use in ritual
  ceremonies. His work is valued for its spiritual,
  rather than its aesthetic qualities.

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Function of the African Mask

• African masks should be seen as part of a
  ceremonial costume.
• They are used in religious and social events to
  represent the spirits of ancestors or to control
  the good and evil forces in the community.
• They come to life, possessed by their spirit in
  the performance of the dance, and are enhanced by
  both the music and atmosphere of the occasion.
• Some combine human and animal features to unite
  man with his natural environment. This bond with
  nature is of great importance to the African and
  through the ages masks have always been used to
  express this relationship. 

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What is the Mask made of?

• African masks are made from different materials
  wood, bronze, brass, copper, ivory, terracotta
  and glazed pottery, raffia and textiles.
• They are often decorated with cowrie shells,
  coloured beads, bone, animal skins and vegetable
  fibre.
• However, the majority of masks and sculptures are
  made of wood for two reasons
• 1. Trees are in plentiful supply in the forest.
• 2. The carver believes that the tree has a
  spiritual soul and its wood     is the most
  natural home for the spirit in the mask.
• Wooden masks are often coloured with natural dyes
  and pigments created from vegetables, plants,
  seeds, tree bark, soil and insects. Occasionally
  they are splashed with sacrificial blood to
  increase their spiritual power.

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Patterns in the Mask

• Bold pattern, either painted or carved, is a
  powerful and expressive element in African mask
  design.
• Most patterns tend to be geometrical and
  symmetrical and are used in a variety of ways
• Parallel, zigzag, cruciform, curved and spiral
  lines, representing scarification marks or
  tattoos, are frequently used to adorn the planes
  of the mask face. These can denote social status
  or have magical or religious powers.

• Different geometric patterns are sometimes used
  to distinguish between male and female masks
• Square and triangular checkerboard grids are
  often carved to decorate sections of a design.
• A variety of complex braided hairstyles adorn the
  top of the head.

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Mask Style

• There are two main forces that influence the
  style of an African tribal mask
• 1. The traditional style that is dictated by
  the social and religious  beliefs of the
  community
• 2. The individual vision of the carver.
• COMPOSITION -  Formal symmetrical arrangements of
  line, shape and form in figures and masks evoke
  integrity and dignity.
• TEXTURE -  Skilled craftsmanship, fine detail and
  quality of finish are of great importance to the
  African tribal artist. Highly polished surfaces
  which represent a youthful healthy skin reflect
  the idea of beauty and virtue, while rough dirty
  surfaces suggest fear and evil. Many African
  carvings portay the idealised human figure in its
  prime, brimming with health, strength, and
  celebrating fertility or virility.
• SHAPE - African masks take on many forms. They
  can be oval, circular, rectangular, elongated,
  heart-shaped, animal or human, or any combination
  of these.

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Baule Mask

• The Baule are farmers who populate the eastern
  side of the Ivory Coast. This type of Baule mask
  is known as a Goli mask.
• It is used in dances during harvest festivals and
  in processions to honour distinguished visitors.
• The circular face represents the life-giving
  force of the sun and the horns symbolise the
  great power of the buffalo.
• The mask is made of wood with two holes cut into
  the eyes to enable the wearer to see.
• The rectangular mouth is also typical of this
  type of mask.

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Ligbi Masks

• The Ligbi people are a community from the Ivory
  Coast.
• Ligbi masks are used in the celebration of
  Islamic holidays, especially the end of Ramadan.
• The dancers who wear these masks are noted for
  their elegantly synchronised movements as they
  dance in pairs.
• The typical Ligbi mask has an elongated face
  trimmed with wings on either side.
• The eyes are shaded and the mouth is rectangular.
  
• Both animal and human forms are combined in its
  image.
• Make-up and jewellery are also added to decorate
  these masks during the celebration.

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Biombo Masks

• The Biombo live in the Democratic Republic of the
  Congo.
• Biombo masks are usually carved from wood and
  coloured with a red / orange dye.
• The eyes are a typical coffee bean shape.
• A triangular checkerboard design is used to
  decorate the eyebrows and the planes of the face.
  
• The three forms at the back of the head represent
  the Biombo hairstyle.
• Biombo masks are usually worn during tribal
  rituals.

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Bwa Maks

• The Bwa come from Mali and Burkina Faso.
• Bwa masks are believed to possess special powers
  which are controlled by those who wear them.
• These masks are plank shaped with a circular face
  at one end and a crescent moon at the other.
• Their wearer looks through a hole in the mouth.
• The eyes are based on an owl and the hooked nose
  comes from the hornbill.
• The designs on this Bwa Mask, which is used to
  celebrate boys' initiation to adulthood,
  represent information about myths and morality
  that the boys must learn before they can be
  accepted into adult society.

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Lets make our own Mask!
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Step 1

• To begin with you need two similar sized sheets
  of card, one light in tone, one dark.
• The contrasting tones will be used to create a
  balance of positive and negative features in the
  design.
• You will also need a pencil, scissors or craft
  knife, and some glue
• Arrange the sheets in portrait format.
• Fold the light sheet in half down its vertical
  length and cut along the crease. This should give
  you two equal halves.
• Then take one light half and place it over the
  dark sheet to create a symmetrical arrangement
  like the one illustrated above - one half dark,
  one half light.

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Step 2

• Draw a stylised eye about halfway down the light
  sheet.
• Stylised or exaggerated features are used to help
  express more abstract qualities like nobility,
  integrity, courage, fear and humour.

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Step 2 Continued

• Cut out the eye shape, flip it over and place it
  on the dark sheet to form a symmetrical
  arrangement.
• You will now begin to see the counterchange of
  pattern which will be used throughout this mask
  design - a perfect balance between dark and
  light, positive and negative. 

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Step 3

• Draw one half of a stylised nose on the light
  coloured paper.
• This should stretch from just above the eyes to
  roughly halfway between the eyes and the bottom
  of the sheet.

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Step 3 Continued

• Cut out the nose and flip it over.
• Place it on the dark sheet and align it with the
  vertical edge of the light paper.
• This will complete its symmetrical shape and
  maintain the tonal counterchange of the mask
  design.

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Step 4

• Next, draw one half of a stylised mouth on the
  light sheet.

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Step 4 Continued

• Cut out the mouth and flip it over.
• As before, place it on the dark sheet and align
  it with the vertical edge of the light paper to
  complete its shape.
• Note that the inside of the mouth has also been
  cut out and flipped onto the light side of the
  design to create the illusion of an opening.  

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Step 5

• Draw a simple outline for the face on the light
  paper.
• This could be oval, circular, rectangular,
  elongated, heart-shaped, animal-shaped or human,
  or any combination of these.
• Different outline shapes will give you different
  expressive effects.

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Step 5 Continued

• Cut around the outline of the face and leave the
  remaining face shape in position.
• Then take the background shape, flip it over to
  the other side and align it with the vertical
  centre line.
• This will create the background for the other
  side of the face, while its negative space will
  define the other side of the head.

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Step 6

• Draw some tattoo designs or scarification marks
  on the light side of the face.
• These markings are often used on masks to
  communicate coded information or social status.
• They can also represent magical or religious
  power. 

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Step 6 Continued

• Cut out the tattoo or scarification marks, flip
  them over and place them on the opposite side of
  the design to create a symmetrical arrangement.
• Symmetrical arrangements of line, shape and form
  in masks evoke a sense of integrity and dignity. 

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Step 7

• On the light background draw a stylish design to
  represent hair or braids.
• A straight linear design representing hair braids
  is used here to contrast with the curves on the
  rest of the mask.

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Step 7 Continued

• Cut out the stylised hair braid, flip it over and
  place it onto the dark side of the design to
  complete the symmetry and counterchange of the
  arrangement.

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ENJOY YOUR MASK!!!