Who Is That Masked Man?
Masks have been almost universal in human society, from the primitive to the more sophisticated. They have been used for rituals and carnivals the world over. Theatricals from early Greek and Roman plays to the Japanese Noh plays to modern offerings such as Verdi's opera, A Masked Ball, have used masks both to disguise characters and to illuminate them. From Jesse James to Zorro to Batman, characters of modern folk legend, both good and evil, have been identified with masks. Life masks or death masks have been made of famous people--the one of Abraham Lincoln comes to mind.
The technique for making a life mask is simple enough. Hair is gathered under a shower cap. The skin of the face is coated with petroleum jelly. The eyes are covered with 2" x 2" gauze sponges. Strips of plaster-impregnated gauze such as orthopedists use are moistened and laid on the face in a double layer, being sure to leave nose holes for breathing. When the plaster has set, the mask is fairly easily removed.
How do I know about this? If you look closely at the cover of this month's journal, you might discover that the mask is of none other than your Senior Editor. In this case, the mask was finished and decorated by a Native American artist.
Orthodontists have the capability of making an accurate face mask by using the gauze mask as a matrix and lining it with alginate impression material. Life masks of orthodontic patients could be useful in diagnosis and case presentations, as before-and-after records, or as gifts to the subjects. In addition, a supervised mask workshop in which children make and decorate masks has proven to be popular.