1. art and entertainment
2. visual art and design
3. design

AFRICAN
MASKS
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.
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.
Patterns in the Mask
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Bold pattern, either painted
or carved, is a powerful and • Different geometric
expressive element in
patterns are sometimes
African mask design.
used to distinguish between
• Most patterns tend to be
geometrical and
male and female masks
symmetrical and are used
• Square and triangular
in a variety of ways
checkerboard grids are
• Parallel, zigzag, cruciform,
often carved to decorate
curved and spiral lines,
representing scarification
sections of a design.
marks or tattoos, are
• A variety of complex
frequently used to adorn
braided hairstyles adorn the
the planes of the mask
face. These can denote
top of the head.
social status or have
magical or religious
powers.
Mask Style
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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.
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.
Ligbi Masks
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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.
Biombo Masks
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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.
Bwa Maks
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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.
Let’s make our own
Mask!
Step 1
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Step 4
• Next, draw one
half of a stylised
mouth on the
light sheet.
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.
Step 5
• Draw a simple outline
for the face on the
light paper.
• This could be oval,
circular,
rectangular,
elongated, heartshaped, animal-shaped
or human, or any
combination of these.
• Different outline
shapes will give you
different expressive
effects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ENJOY YOUR MASK!!!