Making Masks

Description

Individuals create or decorate a mask that symbolizes their personality, a character in a story, or other representation specific to a larger activity.

Why we like it

This creative process gets participants talking about themselves or creating details and visuals of others.

Process #1

1. Using an online whiteboard such as Miro or Mural, create blank mask outlines for each individual.
2. Give participants their task and instructions.  Modify instructions depending if they are representing themselves or other people or characters.
3. Individuals use the online whiteboard to draw or source images or symbols online to create their masks.
4. Individuals meet in the main room or in breakout rooms to share their masks’ meanings.

Process #2

1. Take this activity offline by having participants create their own physical masks.  They could create them before the session or during the session depending on time and complexity.
2. Once physical masks are finished, participants share their masks on video or upload their own photos.
3. Run debriefs and sharing sessions as necessary.

Daisy chain options

a) Ask other participants to interpret masks before the original participant’s explanation.
b) Link this activity to storytelling modules. Participants create masks that represent different characters, which allow them to create details, features, and emotions for the stories’ characters.
c) Masks can be saved and reused in future modules to represent individuals.

Variations

a) Allow participants to create their own mask outline instead of loading templates.
b) Allow participants to source mask images online and use them as-is which eliminates the need for an online whiteboard and decoration.
c) This activity could become a small-group activity in breakout rooms if creating mask(s) for story characters.

External links

3rd party whiteboards
Miro: https://miro.com/
Mural:  https://mural.co/

3rd party sketchpad
Sketchpad:  https://sketch.io/sketchpad/ 

Free symbol and images
Pixabay:  https://pixabay.com/
Noun Project:  https://thenounproject.com/ 

Share using the icons below or direct link to this activity: https://knowmium.com/tools/2020/10/7/making-masks