Mask Making: "Dead by Daylight" - Baba Yaga
Hi there!
Welcome to the next episode of our annual Countdown to Halloween! Today, we're making The Huntress' special Baba Yaga cosmetic :D
Long story short, I loved making this mask! I grew up watching those old fairy tale movies (I believe they were czech or russian) and baba yaga was featured as well. And her house on chicken legs :D
So making this mask was a great tie-in to the past, giving that character a new spooky twist.
I knew this mask was going to be a lot ™, so I tried to build it as light-weight as possible, especially on the „ugly“ side. Building up the nose completely would have made the mask unbalanced, because the „pretty“ side has a lot less bulk. The most counter balance on the pretty side would be the chin, which I purposefully built solid.
A balanced mask adds a lot more comfort when wearing it, so it's something you should aim for.
The hardest part towards the end of making the mask was definitely handling. It's well balanced, but it's a lot wider than other masks and getting all the decor on was hard on that width.
I had a bit of mental back and forth about adding embroidery to make the golden decor on the red cap, but ultimately scrapped the idea for time. The golden paint did a great job, too, and in the end I think I am happier with the paint texture than the embroidery.
That was arguably a big project, but it's no comparison to next week's finale :D I can't wait to see you all back here next week!
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During editing the video, I've noticed some parts where you could make it easier on yourself, so I'd like to share:
If you buy the same mask template that I used (it's available on Amazon), you could just buy three masks and combine them. That would save you time, since you wouldn't have to make the extra noses. (I didn't do that because I need my entire order lol)
If you make your own mask template, you can leave out the mouth part entirely and save time on cutting/adjusting that.
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material list:
mask base (either store bought like in the video, or custom made – learn how to on my channel!)
cardboard clay (tutorial also on the channel!)
craft cardboard (about 300 gsm)
masking tape
cellophane / plastic wrap
packing paper
white spackle
white polymer clay
hot glue
PVA glue
acrylic paints
pastel chalk (optional)
fine grit sandpaper (I used 150)
black and red fabric
→ I bought dyed cotton, which is usually the cheapest and easiest to work with, since you can rip it straight through. I got half a meter of each, which is more than enough. Two thrifted shirts would do a nice job as well :D
a white wig
→ if you don't want to purchase a full wig for a few wefts of hair, there are videos on youtube by doll customizing artists showing you how to make doll hair (or any craft hair for that matter) out of acrylic yarn! Check out fellow creative person „Poppen Atelier“ for a tutorial!
tools:
scissors
craft knife
hot glue gun
plastic sculpting tools