Mephistopheles Mask

$30 - $40 (based on 2025 prices) 
Makes one mask

I bought several horned masks during 2024’s after-season clearance sales because I needed the horns for some projects and it was cheaper to purchase the masks than it was to buy the horns by themselves. I didn’t want to waste the masks, so I decided to create a few interesting pieces drawing inspiration from opera (see the mask inspired by Lucia di Lammermoor here). For this version, I made a mask of Mephistopheles from Doktor Faust. In the opera, the aging philosopher Doctor Faust makes a pact with the demon Mephistopheles in exchange for supernatural power and, like most cases of cosmic irony, his wish comes at a cost.

• One 7” x 5” plastic face mask
• One 12” x 28” sheet of aluminum foil
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue
• Two 8” x 11.5” sheets of brown copy paper
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in dark walnut*
• One sheet of white copy paper with devil sigli and demonic names printed on it
• At least four tablespoons of dark roasted coffee grounds
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of decoupage medium
• Eight inches of metal chain
• One twenty-inch chain necklace with a metal cross pendant
• One Asmodeus pendant
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*

1. Remove the horns from the mask and save them for another project. Then, trace the outline of the openings onto a sheet of cardboard, cut them out, and glue them into the space once occupied by the horns. Because I was repurposing a mask from another project, this step was necessary to give the mask a solid structure; however, you can skip this stage by purchasing a mask without any holes.

2. Tear the sheet of aluminum foil in half and use the metal to fabricate two small horns, gluing them to the cardboard. How large you decide to make them will depend on your chosen aesthetic. I kept mine to three inches to prevent them from catching on too many things while wearing the mask.

3. Make papier mache paste by mixing ½ cup of glue and ½ cup of water in a bowl. Then, tear apart the brown paper, soak it in the paste, and use the pieces to build up the horns, creating wrinkles for visual interest.  

4. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the horns a coat of dark walnut spray paint. Don’t worry too much if the paint covers other parts of the mask because those will be covered by paper clippings.  

5. Add the coffee to twelve cups of boiling water. The longer you allow the coffee to brew, the darker the stain. Likewise, greater amounts of coffee will produce a richer stain. Since I wanted irregular spots rather than a unified discoloration, I placed the copy paper on a baking sheet, splashed coffee onto its surface, allowed the liquid to sit for a few minutes, and then moved it to a space to dry.

6. Tear apart the copy paper, isolating individual words or images, and cover the entire surface of the mask with the pieces. This process works best if you move in stages: apply a layer of decoupage medium to one section, press the paper down until it sticks, and repeat the process. If you want to add an additional level of age once the paper has dried, you can water down brown acrylic paint and brush it over the mask.  

7. Use a 7/64 bit to drill three holes an inch and a half apart on both sides of the mask and insert chains into the openings. Try not to make them too long, since they can make wearing the mask uncomfortable.

8. Hooking the ends of the necklace’s outer links to the chains toward the back of the mask, run the necklace through the chains, ensuring the metal cross remains in the center. As with step seven, you want to prevent the necklace from hanging too low because it can impair the wearer’s ability to eat or perform other tasks.

9. Pull the necklace’s cross pendant upward and glue it inverted in the center of the mask’s forehead. For a sturdier hold, consider using superglue rather than the tacky craft glue.

10. Glue the Asmodeus pendant in the center of the devil siglum on the side of the mask. As with step nine, you may want to use superglue for a stronger hold.

11. To give the mask a finished look, paint the inside black and apply at least two coats of decoupage medium to serve as a sealer and prevent the paint from rubbing off while wearing it. This is entirely optional, especially if the mask is meant only for your wear; however, if you plan to sell the mask or give it as a gift, this adds a level of professionalism.  

12. If the mask did not come with a means to fasten it to the wearer’s head, you can create ties with black or brown ribbon to match the paper covering its surface.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.