Make a dynamic dancing Viking mask

The Vikings didn’t have a word for ‘music’, that we know of, but they liked to party just as much as we do. So next time you’re planning a big night out – maybe celebrating a successful raid or vanquishing a mighty serpent ­– why not throw some shapes in this super-stylish dancing Viking mask? 

YOU WILL NEED:

Template (download here)

Scissors

Thin card

Sharp pencil

Modelling clay

Marker pens

Acrylic paints

Paintbrushes

Spare thin cardboard

PVA glue

Split pins

Thick needle

Thread

STEP 1:

Cut out the template shapes and place them on some thin card. Draw around the template with a pencil or marker.

STEP 2:

Carefully cut out the cardboard pieces.

Steps 1 and 2

STEP 3:

Draw a rectangle where the mouth will go.

STEP 4:

Use the sharp pencil and some modelling clay for safety to make a hole in the rectangle, then carefully cut it out with scissors.

Steps 3 and 4

STEP 5:

Paint the beard with yellow splodges (technical term).

STEP 6:

Mix up some orange-y coloured paint and cover some spare cardboard in more splodges. Make it as splodgy as you like, then leave it to dry completely.

STEP 7:

When this is all dry, cut different sized circles and a moustache out of the spare cardboard. Make as many as you can.

STEP 8:

Arrange the moustache and painted circles on the beard and stick down with PVA glue.

Steps 5 to 8

STEP 9:

Paint the arms and leg pieces and leave them to dry. 

STEP 10:

Using marker pens, decorate the lower legs and forearms with straps and tattoos.

STEP 11:

When they’re finished, the pieces will look like the last picture on the right, below.

Steps 9, 10 and 11

Making the mechanism

STEP 12:

Using your sharp pencil and some modelling clay to protect your fingers, make holes in the limb pieces as shown. 

STEP 13:

Connect the pieces using split pins. 

Steps 12 and 13

STEP 14:

Cut out a piece of cardboard shaped like the below.

Step 14

STEP 15:

Connect the legs and arms to the central piece with split pins.

STEP 16:

With a needle and thread, connect piece A and piece B, then tie off and snip. 

Steps 15 and 16

STEP 17:

Do the same with pieces C and D.

STEP 18:

With a third length of thread, connect the two sets of limbs. When you tug on this, the arms and legs should move up and down.

Steps 17 and 18

STEP 19:

Stick the mechanism onto the back of the beard.

STEP 20:

We’ve made a shield and a sword for our dancing Viking.

Steps 19 and 20

STEP 21:

Attach some elastic, and then attach the mask to your face.

Step 21

Why not send a photo of your art to us via the AQUILA website, and we’ll share as many as we can.

If you enjoyed this brilliant blog, then why not think about a subscription to AQUILA magazine! 

Words/photos: Hi-lo piccolo