Lovely Halloween

Make it with everyday materials! Halloween mask ideas and DIY tips

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerAraki Jakkan
I’ve worked in a variety of roles—regardless of pro or amateur settings—including live event PA, cameraman for video and photography, restaurant staff, and logistics center staff. I now spend my days as a part-time writer. I’ve contributed to music and manga websites with feature/review articles, and wrote the liner notes included as a bonus for 1st PLACE Inc.’s “IA SUPER BEST.” As for my music background, I started playing guitar in junior high and focused on band activities during my school years. For over 15 years since then, up to the present, I’ve continued releasing original tracks as a Vocaloid producer. My areas of expertise are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.

Handmade masks that add a dazzling touch to your Halloween costume.

Become the star of the Halloween party cyaimasu! From masquerade masks to zombie masks and unique designs that highlight your mouth your way, we’ve got plenty of how-to ideas.

Many can be made with basic materials you already have at home! If you make them with your kids, both adults and children will have fun creating a one-of-a-kind mask.

In this article, we’ll introduce easy ways to get started with DIY masks.

Make It with Everyday Materials! Halloween Mask Ideas & DIY Tips (21–30)

Jason

[Halloween Foreshadowing] How to make a cheap Jason mask look realistic

Jason

Even a somewhat cheap Jason mask can become a realistic slasher mask with just a bit of work! Use sandpaper to add fine scratches all over, then apply multiple coats of white lacquer spray across the entire mask.

Next, use masking tape to mark out the red markings and the “beard” area, and paint them in.

After removing the tape, load a cloth with black and brown paint and rub it in, working the color into the scratches as you go.

Finish by spraying a clear coat over everything, and you’ve got a terrifying Jason mask ready to swing an axe on Friday the 13th.

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ghost

When it comes to Halloween, ghosts are indispensable.

You often see people dressing up as all kinds of ghosts from around the world, right? Even if it’s hard to go all-in with a full costume, a mask lets you become all sorts of ghosts with just your face! You could cut white paper into the classic shape of a ghost—like Boo from Super Mario or Whisper from Yo-kai Watch—or you could make a different kind of ghost by cutting construction paper, cardstock, or fabric.

Make a mask of your favorite ghost and give your friends and family a good scare!

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zombie

Zombies have been the subject of many films and are a staple of Halloween costumes.

Zombie makeup is popular, but if you want an easier way to become a zombie, masks are recommended.

Just paste a zombie photo onto cardstock and use it as is to create a super simple zombie mask.

If you’ve done zombie makeup before, you could even use a photo of yourself from that time.

Another idea is to paste a photo of your own face onto cardstock and add zombie makeup directly to the photo.

On a photo, you can easily create zombie makeup with pens or paints, even without makeup tools.

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owl

Owls can look cute in bright light, but when you see them hooting in the dark at night, they can feel a bit eerie, right? Why not make a mask and turn yourself into one of those slightly spooky owls! Cut out the shape of an owl’s face from paper in your favorite color, and just punch out holes where the eyes are—done! If you want a scarier vibe, it’s best to model it after an owl whose eyes look more slanted.

Also, if you add the beak separately afterward to give it some three-dimensionality, it’ll look even cooler!

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Frankenstein

Frankenstein is often imagined as a large figure with a pale, bluish face marked by stitches and nails, but in fact, Frankenstein is not the monster itself—it’s the name of the person who created the monster.

The monster commonly called Frankenstein is a popular choice for Halloween costumes! If you find it hard to recreate that eerie, bluish pallor with makeup, try making a mask instead.

Use blue or green paper and freely add scars and other details for an easy result.

If you use fabric or felt, you can create creases and textures that paper can’t, adding a different kind of frightful effect.

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Monster

Let’s try becoming all kinds of monsters from around the world by using masks! This is perfect for those who’ve got their costume ready from the neck down but find creating a monster face with makeup a hassle.

A simple method is to cut out a face shape from thick paper or cardstock and then add features afterward.

For the add-on parts, you can use not only paper but also fabric and string; and when drawing wounds or scars, using special-effects stage blood will boost realism and scariness.

For children, try making a mask inspired by monsters that appear in their favorite anime.

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witch

A scary witch or a good witch—what kind of witch do you want to be? If you make your own mask, you can transform into the witch you like! From the classic witch with a black hat to characters from Disney works and Harry Potter, there are all kinds of witches.

Once you’ve decided on the witch you want to create, try making your favorite witch’s face using construction paper or thick cardstock.

It’s also a great idea to attach the hat or hair later using separate pieces of paper, or to use different materials like fabric for certain parts.

You could even make just the hat three-dimensional! Decorate it however you like, and you’ll become your very own original witch!

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