Wash the mask with white paint if it is not already white, using the thick paintbrush.
Paint black around the eye holes. The black around the eyes can mean deceitfulness, concern or bravery, depending on its shape. For example, eyes with thin lines coming off them portrays a squinting sneakiness, while black that joins the eyes at the top of the nose imitates eyebrows knitted with worry.
Paint black around the sides of the nose, the nostrils and the mouth, if desired, using the fine paintbrush.
Use color to create shapes and swirls on the rest of the face. Use whichever paintbrush works best for each shape you want to paint. Most masks do not use more than three colors, but each color has a meaning that helps the audience understand the characters. Here is a list of colors and their meanings, according to the Asia Education Foundation:
Red: loyalty, courage
Purple: wisdom, bravery, steadfastness
Black: loyalty, integrity
Watery white: cruelty, treachery
Oily white: inflated, domineering
Blue: valour, resolution
Green: chivalry
Yellow: brutality
Grey: an old scoundrel
Gold and silver: supernatural (demons, Buddhas, spirits)
Dark red: loyal, time-tested warrior
Pink: humour
Add a special symbol to the forehead of the mask. For example, a crescent may mean involvement with the supernatural, while nine dots means that the character is a Buddhist monk.