Halloween post, part 2 - "Immortal, Invisible" paper mask activity

Charlie Clowes wearing our prototype paper mask.

Halloween is just around the bend, and this year, as announced earlier this week, we're encouraging Daniel Clowes character inspired costumes with a small contest (<--click for details.) 

For those with jobs and school and families and stuff who might still want to participate but need a less elaborate endeavor, we've created this danielclowes.com exclusive holiday time saving DIY activity for you!

Here's our FREE olde tyme style paper monster mask (some assembly required) as seen in Clowes's classic Hallowe'en strip "Immortal, Invisible" from his anthology Caricature. 

Click here for the print ready, human head sized PDF .

Suggested assembly: You'll need about 30 minutes, access to a printer, a sheet of standard size computer paper, glue, a piece of flat cardboard, some scissors, a hole punch, and string.

1. Print out the hires PDF file of the "Immortal, Invisible" paper mask. (If your printer will take cardstock without jamming, use that and skip step 3.)
2. Color as you please (before you glue.) I used a cheap blue brushpen and mostly just followed the hatchmarks for the example shown above.
3. If using standard computer paper, glue your printout on a piece of cardboard (I used a "free" USPS priority mailing box.) For adhesive a gluesitck works well, or if you want to get fancy, a brush or roller with some PVA is ideal.
4. After it's dry, use a good sturdy pair of scissors to cut around the heavy black outer line leaving the tabs above the ears attached. 
5. Use small sewing scissors or an exacto to cut the eye and mouth holes out. 
6. Wrap black duct or electrical tape around the tabs.
7. Punch holes in the tape reinforced tabs and tie string or an elastic band through the holes and adjust to your head.

Advanced optional materials: a printer friendly piece of card stock, a hobby knife or small sewing scissors, something to color with, a bookbinding screwpunch or hole punch, elastic.

3 minute option: For the socially phobic, the craft challenged, the materialess (perhaps looking at this in a library), or the just plain lazy folks, you can photoshop the mask jpeg above (or anything really), on a picture of your own face and post it on your Facebook page, buy ( or steal) your own bag of candy or a cheeseburger to numb the lonliness, and just say you went out.  

Oh, and please be sure to send pics to halloweenclowestumes@danielclowes.com or submit a post to our new tumblr page of fan posts, the Eightball Tumbl-o-rama.

Happy Halloween!