Modroc is a wonderful construction material that can be used on its own, or combined with armature wire, box construction, chicken wire, rolled newspaper, etc.

Qualities of Modroc                       

Dries hard

Dries quickly

The art form is durable

Easy to manipulate and form

Modroc requires a small amount of water to activate.  Because Modroc is plaster-covered fabric, do not throw the water down domestic sinks as the plaster will block the drains.  Throw the water outside on to the garden.

The finished product can be decorated in many ways.  It can be painted and glossed; line work can be added using metallic pens and permanent markers.  Feathers, raffia, wool tops, sequins, beading, etc can be glued or tied on.

It is very difficult to staple into Modroc so holes need to be made during construction if bundles of raffia or wool need to be tied on.

How to activate Modroc

Modroc needs to be cut into smaller strips for model making.  As Modroc blunts scissors, use cutters that are exclusive for Modroc, use and keep separately from other scissors.

Be careful to have a well-ventilated area.  Encourage the children not to shake the Modroc, as excessive plaster powder will be released into the air.  This is not good for breathing or for cleaning.

Masks

Organise children into partners to take turns in making the mask.  Cut Modroc into strips and have bowls with approximately 6 cm of water ready.  Use a white plastic mask to work the wet Modroc over.

Apply wet, squeezed strips of Modroc over the mask.  Continue the plastering process, overlapping each bandage until the entire mask is well covered.  Strengthen the mask by adding extra layers of Modroc.  Generally, three layers will suffice.

Allow 1 hour for the mask to dry.  To remove the mask, gently lift the edges to break the suction.

Trim uneven edges or add more Modroc to edges to neaten.  The mask can be worked on further at this stage.  Make a hole at the side of the face to later thread ribbon or cord through to make mask ties.  Let the mask dry completely and paint and decorate as desired.  Vipond Gloss is the best paint to use but Chromacryl will also give good coverage.

Primitive Masks

Make a Modroc mask using the technique mentioned above.

Before the mask completely dries, poke six to eight holes around the top of the mask using a wide nail or scissor blades.

When the mask dries, sketch and outline areas on the mask using line patterns, circles and shapes.  Find visuals of decorative painted primitive faces to help the children with their ideas.  Paint these areas with bright, aggressive colours or dark, subdued jungle colours.  Alternatively, the mask may be spray-painted.

When the paint is dry, metallic markers and permanent black markers can be used to outline and highlight areas.  Finish off with a transparent gloss.

Thread strips of raffia through the holes around the head to represent wild hair.

Hands

Hands may also have Modroc moulded over the top surface of them.  Care must be taken to not go all the way around the fingers!  Modroc hands display well with primitive masks.  Rub Vaseline over the top of one hand.  Create a pose with the hand and apply cut strips of Modroc over the back of the hand, wrist and top half of the fingers.  Do three layers.  Allow to dry and remove.  These hands may be painted and decorated to match the masks.

Carnival Masks

Make a Modroc mask using the technique mentioned above.  Once the mask has been removed from the white plastic mask attach armature wire to the forehead area.  Shape and bend in a festive headdress frame.  Apply larger pieces of Modroc over this frame to build up the shape.  Short cylinder shapes cut from empty lunch wrap rolls can be added to the forehead area and held with Modroc.  Pieces of Modroc fabric can be creatively draped around the mask.

When dry, these masks look spectacular spray painted, or painted and glossed as with the primitive masks.  Colourful feathers, sequins, glitter, shredded cellophane paper, etc can be added to highlight decorative areas.

Presentation and Display

Masks can be used to encourage and stimulate drama and movement.  The making and wearing of masks can help children adopt a new identity.  The need to enhance, disguise or extend oneself is fundamental.  Masks increase children's confidence enabling them to speak more fluently or expressively or to become more imaginative, creating more character in drama work.

The mask can be used as a spectacular wall decoration when it is not being worn.  Display the carnival masks with colourful draped fabrics, honeycomb, paper stripping, metallic paper, etc.

The primitive masks can be displayed with black fabric, natural hessian, green reefs and artefacts, i.e. spears and shields.

MODELLING WITH MODROC

Choose a theme, eg refer to historical mask making such as primitive masks, theatre masks, artists' masks, festival masks.  From these references perhaps make your own theme, eg moods or select one from historical studies - African and Picasso's faces/masks.

CREATING AND MAKING

. Select drawing/painting/design activities to enable you to design your own masks from elements you have seen and created.

. Shape a mask 'base' from cardboard, small boxes, plastic objects, found objects, or use commercially moulded plastic mask.

. Place the construction mask base on a board covered with plastic for easy storage and movement.

. Cut the Modroc into manageable strips.  Soak the strips individually in water, squeeze and drape over the constructed shape.

. Allow the Modroc to drape, twist and wrinkle to give texture and character to the mask surface (two initial layers will give the mask strength).

.Don't forget that Modroc is FABRIC IMPREGNATED WITH PLASTER.

. Allow the fabric to speak for itself.  You can achieve interesting effects by allowing it to gather into folds, 'lumps' and other organic shapes.

.Add 3D objects such as small boxes, cylinders, seed pods, etc.  Modroc can easily be wrapped around small or large shapes, eg. cut cylinders and cigarette filters to create clusters of texture and dynamic 3D areas.

Allow the Modroc design to extend past the 'edge' of the mask, resting on the plastic bag until dry.

.Decoration of the mask should be considered just as seriously as the constructed shape.

. Reference back to and extension of the original design would assist in affecting a dynamic result.

Spray or acrylic paint, shoe polish, crayons, etc may be used.  Decorative materials such as beads, sequins, feathers, puff paint, buttons, ribbons, seeds, etc are effective.

PRESENTING

Masks can be presented in many ways, eg standing displays (totems), mime and performances or as part of costume making.

Copyright 2006 Zart Art