The Dons

For the mask for Don Pedro, I began with images of Spanish conquistadors. I was inspired by the shape of their armor, especially the helmet. I used the basic shape of the helmet when sculpting the forehead of the mask. I also wanted the mask to reflect the overall mood of a conquistador's costume--brooding and confrontational. To achieve this, I decided to make the details of the mask less realistic and more exaggerated. I stylized the traditional shape of a brooding man. I focused on particular angles that one might view the mask. The mask is designed to be viewed from the side--not necessarily face-on.

I painted the mask for Don Pedro's henchman. I kept his mask in the same color scheme as Don Pedro's mask. They both have the subtle red accent on the inside of their eyes.

For Don Antonio's mask there wasn't a particular image that inspired me. I was inspired by the colors red and gold. I knew that I wanted to paint it red with gold accents. As I designed and sculpted it I thought about how I could accent the design with gold. I chose a symmetrical design for the mask to provide a blank canvas to paint on. I sculpted a coat of arms on the forehead to distinguish Don Antonio from the other characters because of his wealth and status. For Don Antonio's henchman, I painted his mask in the same color palette.