Samurai Mask Projects

I work on masks every month, most of the work required is repetitive so I will avoid clogging up my portfolio with the same routines. The examples I will post will cover the most routine work that I undertake.

Example 1 - Hanpo

This is a Hanpo that my client purchased, when he received it the surface had been painted with black paint and then sprayed over with a sealer. It required a Tare, so I accepted the commission.

I agreed to make a bespoke 3 lame Tare and together with my client we agreed to make it s little unorthodox to compliment the spikes on the mask.

I made a paper templete and added some wide curves to the kata-zuri-ita bottom lame.

I transferred the paper template to mild steel and hammered the edges and curves.

The Tare fitted well and looked good as a replacement.

The bare metal of the tare have been primed and then built up with many layers of urushi.

I had to remove the paint that had been applied to the mask, from the ay it cut I think it was acrylic based, maybe car spray.

After rebuilding the surface I lacquered it with urushi a few times.

After cutting the urushi surface back and then repeating the applications over I eventually gained a smooth surface which would polish to a high gloss.

I lacquered the Tare in urushi to match the Hanpo. There was actually more work required on the tare than the Hanpo.

The final mask lacquered to a very high gloss black mirror finish. Laced in silk Murasaki purple which i made in-house.

Mask portfolio