Draw eye holes and a wide mouth on the back of a paper plate. Use scissors to carefully cut out the mouth and eye holes.
Decorate the mask using markers. Draw eyebrows and outline the eye and mouth holes for further exaggeration.
Cut strips of construction paper to create stands for hair and a beard. Curl the construction paper by rolling each strip around a pencil.
Glue the curly construction paper strips around the top of your mask for hair, and around the bottom of your mask for a beard. Allow the glue to dry before proceeding.
Measure the length around the back of your head, starting at your temples. Subtract an inch and a half from your measurement and cut a strip of elastic based on your calculation. Elastic is stretchy, and you want the mask to fit snugly.
Staple the elastic strip to the back of your mask. Try on the mask and make adjustments to the elastic as needed.
Mix water and plaster of Paris in a medium-size plastic bowl. Cover your face with petroleum jelly, except for your eyes, nostrils and lips. Use plastic wrap to cover your hair. Wear a smock to protect your clothes.
Dip precut strips of plaster gauze in the plaster of Paris mixture and place them on your face. Do not place the gauze on your eyes, nostrils or lips. The plaster of Paris will harden around the gauze, creating a mask. Fashion a mouth opening into an O for a surprised face or a wide smile or frown.
Allow the plaster to harden and dry until you can remove the mask from your face in one piece. Set the mask aside to dry. Clean your face and remove the plastic wrap from your hair.
Squeeze white glue into a bowl of warm water until it is thick like oatmeal. Stir the mixture with a paint stirrer. Tear pieces of newspaper into thin strips.
Dip the strips of newspaper into the glue mixture and mold them to the mask. Layer the newspaper onto the mask, six to 10 layers thick, sculpting to create ridges and lines on the face of the mask. This process is known as papier mache.
Allow the mask to fully dry. Paint and decorate it with acrylic paint. Use the paint to create highlights and shadows in the facial features.
Use a hot glue gun to attach pieces of yarn to the head of the mask, creating hair. If desired, attach pieces of yarn to the mask’s chin for a beard.