This project had a long genesis. It began when I came across a $3,000 Alexis Bittar mask. It was made of leather and adorned with Swarovski crystals, so leather and glass for $3,000! I thought there aren’t any real precious materials in it, and I could create something just as cool for much less. Thus, it became more of a project born out of frugality than anything else. The Bittar mask was stunning and resembled an Aztec death mask.
For my version, I used vinyl and foam to create a comfortable base. I incorporated stained glass wire to provide a more rigid shape. The original mask was inspired more by a Greek drama mask and featured a bottom jaw that allowed me to speak. It had a very creepy appearance.
I decided this look needed to hit the club scene, so I built a helmet from the mask to cover my entire head. The "jewels" were glued on one by one with E6000 (learn it and learn it well!). I also added some latex deer antlers I found in a costume shop. They were painted black to match the base vinyl and also adorned with jewels. The embellishment process was the longest part, taking several weeks to add each gem individually and letting the glue set.
Once it was complete, I coated the entire piece with several layers of acrylic epoxy resin.
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