Secure all of your hair away from your face with hairpins. Place newspaper on your work table. Cut the plaster bandages into roughly 1-inch, 2-inch and 3-inch strips, with at least 25 of each size. Cut two pieces of the drinking straw into 2-inch lengths. Fill a bowl with water and place it on the work table. Liberally apply petroleum jelly to your entire face, ensuring that it is applied all the way to your hairline and the underside of your jawline. Place a piece of the drinking straw into each nostril to ensure that you can breath while making the plaster mask.
Dip a piece of plaster in the water. Run the plaster through your fingers to squeeze out the excess water. Place the plaster on your face and rub it to make the plaster lie smoothly. Have your partner help you, or actually apply the plaster for you if it is difficult for you to do unassisted. Use a hand mirror if you do not have a partner. Repeat the process until your entire face (including your eyes, nose, mouth and the sides of your face) is covered in an even layer of plaster. Allow the layer to dry until it is stiff to the touch. Add at least three more layers of plaster, allowing each layer to dry for two to five minutes.
Wiggle your eyebrows, nose, cheeks and mouth while gripping the sides of the plaster mask. Pull the mask off your face and allow it to dry for up to several hours. Remove the excess petroleum jelly from your face and the inside of your mask with a dry washcloth.
Decorate your mask with paint. Apply protective sealant to the inside and outside of the mask to protect it from moisture.