How to Make Coconut Masks

Coconuts are not just for eating, but also make great crafts.

Coconuts have become a culinary mainstay for Latin America, where they have been used for hundreds of years. However, the gourd in which the sweet flesh resides is also useful. When dried, it becomes hard enough to use for decoration as wood is, but soft enough to be carved. Its perfectly round shape also makes it perfect for mask making. A variety of extra decorations and paint can be applied to make the plain brown nut into a crafty masterpiece.

Things You'll Need

• Hollow coconut shell
• Table clamp
• Small pruning saw
• Sandpaper
• Small paring knife
• Paint or lacquer
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Place the coconut in the clamp, tightening it so it is secured snugly, but not hard enough to crack it. Ensure the three indents at the top of the coconut are sideways, facing one side of the clamp.

2. Saw the coconut in half, slowly moving the saw down from the middle top of the coconut to the bottom. Discard the side with the three dots or save it for later.

3. Sand off the stingy fibers from the outside of the coconut until the smooth shell is revealed. Sand any edges that are sharp from the saw.

4. Draw where you desire your eyes, nose and mouth to be. Figure out whether you wish the mask to be ornamental or practical, for this determines whether the eyes need to be completely cut out or not.

5. Whittle away the eyes using the small paring knife within the drawn borders, completely removing the area if for wearing and leaving a thin layer if it is for decoration.

6. Remove a thin layer from the nose and mouth areas you have drawn, using the paring knife. Sand these areas if you wish them to be smooth or leave them be for a more rough look.

7. Carve any other designs you desire around the face, from swirls around the eyes to geometric shapes around the mouth.

8. Paint the mask using colors you desire or lacquer it to bring out the natural rich color of the coconut shell.

Tips & Warnings

• A whole fresh coconut can also be bought from the store and used to make a mask after its flesh is scraped off or used in cooking.

• Be careful when handling the saw and the coconut, as the shell is round and the saw can easily slip.

References

• Vegetarian in Paradise: Coconuts
• Latin - Mexican Folk Art Craft: Handcrafted Coconut Masks
• Natural Craft: Coconut Crafts