Paints And Finishes For Masks?

[Ellen]

Hello, I'm not a mask maker, just curious:

1. What kind of finishes are good enough for contact with skin: Resolene, Super Shene? Is back side dyed too, or it should be left without dye at all?

2. What is better: Fiebing's spirit dyes or acrylic dyes for leather?

3. If Angelicus acrylic dyes are not available (shipping cost bites), is art quality acrylic paint an acceptable substitute? What medium is flexible enough for leather for use with sponge applicator, aerosol medium?

Thank you, I appreciate your input.

[TwinOaks]

Most of the spirit dyes are alcohol based and penetrate the leather very well. Oil dyes penetrate well also. Acrylic paints can also be used, as long as they are layered on. AFAIK, any finish is 'safe' for contact with skin, although if acrylic paints are used, an acrylic finish should be used to seal the paint. Airbrushing the medium, whether thinned paint, or spirit dye is the easiest way to get an even finish, especially if the thickness of the finish is a consideration.

[Bradley Bucsis]

Hi Ellen. I generally like to use leather dyes for my masks as it is alcohol based and will penetrate the leather easily. This is safe for skin contact, however if the mask gets wet after the first few days it may seep out, which can cause quite a problem if the dampness is caused by someones face sweating! Aside from that, for more delecate designs I will use acrylic paint, usually overtop of the dyes, as this helps the paint show up with fewer layers as it seals some of the pores on the leather. To prevent the dyes from seeping, and to protect the paint, I will then seal the mask in an acrylic sealer of the spray on variety. This also gives the masks a nice sheen and can be polished in the future, keeping it looking like new. Also to answer another question of yours, it is usually a good idea to also color the inside of the mask, that way even when it is not on the person's face, it can still be viewed like a work of art. If you did not color the back side of the mask, then the raw leather color could be seen through the eye holes and at different angles, which would look bad. Hope this helps!