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It all started when I came across a picture in a magazine some months ago. It was that of a man who each year from his daughter's babyhood on up had sculptured a bust of her. I decided I'd like to do something like that with my own two children; so I hied to the library to pick up a book on the "how-to" of modeling and sculpture. It was entitled "Molding and Casting: Its Technique and Application," by Carl Dame Clarke. Then, with clay purchased from a crafts store and with lots of enthusiasm, I set about my somewhat formidable task.

My very first efforts convinced me of two things: first, I hadn't the tiniest trace of Michelangelo in me; and secondly, enthusiasm was definitely not enough. After two hours, the fruit of my labors resembled one slightly lopsided egg with something that vaguely suggested a ski-run veering crookedly down the front. The clay that had had such noble beginnings ended up in the hands of my four-year-old, and in the form of glorified mud pies.

However, my trip to the library hadn't been entirely in vain—far from it, in fact; for in the book I had taken out there was a section that dealt briefly with the making of life masks. Life masks, in case you are not familiar with the term, are the same as death masks except that they are made from a living person rather than from one who is deceased.

TO MAKE a life mask you must first make a mold of your subject's face. Of course, everyone knows what a Jello mold is; and the molds you use in making life masks are on the same order. To make one, you simply "paint" the face with your liquid molding material—I use melted wax and rosin myself—and allow it to harden. When it is removed, there will be on the inner side of the hardened material a perfect impression of your subject's face. This mold is then filled with liquid plaster of Paris, and the plaster is allowed to harden. When it is taken from the mold, you will have an exact reproduction of your subject. The head can be left in its natural state, or it can be tinted, bronzed or painted, as you wish.

From the art store I purchased the wax, plaster and other materials I would require. Then, following the simple instructions given, I set about making life masks of my children's faces. The results were successful this time—very successful, in fact. If this sounds like bragging, it isn't. Anyone can make a life mask; complicated though it may seem, it's actually an easy thing to do—and, for my money, one of the most interesting!

Anyway, my friends saw the musks I had made. They were very enthusiastic, too. Soon they were asking me to make masks of themselves and of their own families. (There's something universally intriguing in the prospect of seeing one's self in "statue" form.)

At first, I made the masks "for free"—just as a favor. Of course, the subjects purchased the necessary materials. However, when I saw how they were going over, I decided to use my mask-making as a means of earning a little extra money. The materials required to make a mask cost less than $1. That meant that if I charged $5 for each head, I would net a clear profit of more than $4 over material costs. And since the making of each head took only around two hours—and this included the time it takes the plaster to harden—I would be earning an average of $2 per hour.

AS I have said, in the beginning this was more or less a "pin money" project. I didn't go out after business; I let it come to me. If someone who had seen or heard about my masks wanted me to make one for him, well and good! I was that much ahead financially. I never dreamed that it would soon become a full time job, but that is exactly what it turned out to be.

You see, a little while after that my husband suffered an attack of rheumatic fever. Strict bed rest was prescribed and for an indefinite period of time. My husband's compensation looked suddenly very small and insignificant beside the barrage of bills that confronted us. At first, I was at a loss.

Then I hit upon the idea of my life masks. They had proved popular with people who had seen them. Why wouldn't they prove equally so with others? But would enough people be interested to enable me to earn a living this way? I decided to find out.

First, I applied for—and received—a license from the business license bureau in my city, Los Angeles, California; this was only a few dollars. Next, I made a trip to an art store to stock up on the tools and materials of my trade: plaster, wax, paints and the like. At the dime store I bought the shower caps, gauze and the other items I would need. That done, I was in business!

One attractive thing about the mask-making business, incidentally, is that it requires no extensive financial outlay. You can purchase your materials as you go, so to speak; you need only have enough to make a few heads to get started; then, after You've used those up, you can take part of the money you make from the first heads to buy more materials.

FIRST I tried getting orders by going from door to door. I arranged with a neighbor to look after my children a part of the day, and during this time, I would canvass from door to door, each trip working a new neighborhood, naturally.

I generally spent from three to four hours each day going after orders. Of course, the number of sales I would make varied from day to day. As a general rule, I would average from five to six orders for each day I put in.

I didn't have any prepared sales talk that I used on my potential customers. Of course, I would tell them what it was I had to offer and how much it cost; and I would always make it a point to mention what a welcome keepsake a life mask was and what an unusual gift it would make for their relatives or friends. But aside from that, I relied on several masks I carried with me more than I did on words. I had had my sister-in-law make a mold of my own face, and from this mold I had made several masks; one I had painted, another I had bronzed, and a third I had tinted. By showing these, I could let my customers see just what it was I had to offer, and just how truly it resembled the subject from which it was cast. You might say I was my own walking advertisement!

Because I travelled on foot, it would have been awkward for me to have carried my equipment along with me. Therefore, I never made a mask on the spot, but rather by appointment at a later date. I had a little appointment book in which I kept track of which times were taken and which were free.

AT THIS point I should like to offer several suggestions for the benefit of any of you who might be considering going into the mask-making business yourself. First, I would advise you to have your customers make a small deposit at the time you make the appointment. It should be stipulated on his receipt that this money will not be refunded if he changes his mind, and cancels the order. This is for your own protection. I have found that the customer who has actually paid something in advance, and who knows that he won't get it back if he doesn't go through with the deal, is a lot more conscientious about keeping his appointment and a lot less likely to change his mind at the last minute.

Speaking of appointments, of course you will always want to verify your appointments a day or two ahead.

One more suggestion—a very important one I think. Have some little business cards made up at a print shop. Then, every time you make a mask for anyone, leave your card. Their friends will see the head you have made, and the chances are that some will be interested in having masks made for themselves. You make a lot of new contacts that way.

When I first started out, I handled both the order getting and the mask making by myself. I would canvass three days out of the week, and the other days I would devote to keeping my appointments. As business was good, I soon was getting so many orders that I just didn't have enough time to divide between finding new customers and making masks for those I already had.

As a result, I recently have had to enlist the aid of two friends who handle the selling while I devote my time exclusively to making the masks. These, women work on a commission basis, and receive $1.50 for each order they bring in. Naturally, I don't clear as much profit per head, but the increased volume of business I am now able to handle more than compensates for this.

Also, I have placed in several newspapers advertisements that begin something like, "Your picture in 3-D. . .". I give my phone number and the hours to call so that anyone interested can get the particulars. This has brought me many new customers and I consider it the ideal selling method to use if you are interested in making masks only as a sideline and not as a full time occupation.

IF YOU'RE interested in making a life mask, you can get the wax, rosin, paints and the like for a few cents at any art or craft store or from mail order concerns. The other items you will need can be purchased at your ten-cent store. Probably you have many of the things you will need right around your own home. For the whole mask making process from start to finish you'll need:

1. Wax.
2. Rosin.
3. Vaseline or mineral oil.
4. Double boiler.
5. Small paint brush.
6. Gauze.
7. Short lengths rubber tubing (drinking straws will do).
8. Shower cap.
9. Bath towels, two.
10. Apron (or large cloth).
11. Mixing bowl.
12. Measuring cup.
13. Wooden spoon.
14. Spatula.
15. Plaster of Paris.
16. Picture hangers (so finished masks can be hung).
17. Boiled linseed oil (if you want to tint or paint mask).
18. Flat lacquers (or water or tempera colors for painting).
19. White glaze (for bronzing mask).
20. Raw or burnt umber in powdered form (for bronzing mask).
21. Powdered gold bronze (for bronzing mask).
22. Water color brush.
23. Glue or cement (for attaching picture hangers).
24. Pasteboard boxes.
25. Pocket knife or razor blades.
26. Fine-grain sandpaper.

THE FIRST step is to make a mold of your subject's face. Molds can be made out of a number of materials, such as wax, plaster of Paris or agar. As I have already said, I prefer using wax myself. It is inexpensive and easy to prepare, and a mold made from it can be remelted when you are through with it and the wax used again and again—an important consideration if you plan doing this work commercially.

Most important, though, it is easy to work with. Children, and many grownups as well, are a bit squeamish at the prospect of having wet plaster spooned on their faces; at best it's an unpleasant experience. And frankly, I've always been a little hesitant about working with it myself—having visions of being obliged to resort to a hammer and chisel, or of having my subject come out minus his eyebrows and eyelashes. Seriously, though, plaster as a molding material does have its drawbacks. The warm liquid wax, on the other hand, causes the subject no discomfort. It hardens quickly, and can be easily removed.

To prepare your molding material you will need white wax and rosin in the proportion of three parts of wax to one of rosin. Melt them in the top part of a double boiler, stir until they are well mixed, and heat to the boiling point.

While this "cooking" is taking place, you can get your subject ready, and assemble your materials. Since your wax mixture hardens rapidly once it is removed from the heat, speed is the important thing once you have begun making your mold. Therefore, it is necessary that you have all your equipment immediately at hand.

Of course, if the wax does harden before you are through, you can always remelt it again; but this is a rather lengthy process. In fact, until you have gained some experience in the technique of mold-making, you might do well to prepare two batches of your wax mixture, each in a separate double boiler. After one has been removed from the fire, the other can be kept heating, and hence in the liquid state.

You will need:

1. Your brush for applying the warm wax.
2. Two gauze eyepads (to make an eyepad, simply cut a small piece of gauze that has been folded to three thicknesses into a small oval shape).
3. Spatula or kitchen knife.
4. Large mixing bowl of plaster (don't mix the plaster with water, though, until you are ready for it as it sets very quickly).
5. Cup of cold water.
6. Two drinking straws or pieces of tubing.

Incidentally, I like to work in the kitchen, for here you have access to running water as well as to the stove.

Your subject should be comfortably seated in a chair with his head tilted back and resting on a cushion. Some casters have their subjects lie down while the mold is being made. I would advise against it, however; for when the subject is in a prone position, the facial muscles tend to relax with a resultant altering of the expression.

He should be wearing some sort of covering to protect his clothing. I use a large plastic bib-type apron similar to those you find in a barber shop. An old table cloth or any large piece of cloth will serve equally well, however.

Place a shower cap on his head to protect the hair that is in the mold area. Wax can be applied over this cap just as over the skin surface. Next you will want to grease your subject's face with mineral oil and Vaseline. Give special attention to the eyebrows and eyelashes. This grease coating keeps the mold from sticking to the face, and makes it easy to remove.

Now you will arrange the towels around his face and neck. The towels indicate the limit of the mold. If you plan to cast only the face, and to include none of the neck, simply drape a towel over the top and down the sides of the head, securing it under the chin with a large safety pin. Otherwise, drape one towel over the top of the head and down the sides of the face and neck, a second towel across the neck at that point which you want to see as the limit of your mold. This second towel can be wrapped around the subject's neck, and fastened in the back, thus serving to hold the two towels in place.

I always wait until I am just ready to apply my wax before I put the eyepads on my subject or before I insert the nostril tubes. Actually, neither is absolutely essential to the experienced worker. The purpose of the nostril tubes is to keep the wax or wet plaster (when you are making your outer shell as I shall explain shortly) from running into the subject's nose. However, if you watch what you are doing, there is no danger of this even without this added precaution.

The eyepads are simply to keep the wax mold from sticking to the eyelashes when you go to remove it. They should be dipped in water, and wrung out before they are placed over the eyes; this is so they can be gently pressed against the eye area to conform to the eye shape.

YOU ARE now ready to apply the warm wax to the subject's face. First, of course, you will want to check to see that it is cool enough not to cause him any discomfort. To test this, I fall back on that old practice when testing a baby's bottle of touching a drop to the inside of the wrist. The skin of the face and inside of the wrists is more delicate than that of the hand, so if the wax causes no discomfort on the wrist it should be safe to apply to the face.

As soon as it is cool enough, you can begin applying it to the skin. Dip your brush in the wax, and brush it on the face, taking care to get in all the crevices around eyes, nose and mouth. With the thumb and forefinger of one hand, hold the gauze eyepad in place so that it does not shift, and paint over it. This first coating should be about one-eighth inch in thickness. As soon as it is hardened—and this takes place almost immediately—you will want to apply a second coat with your knife or spatula.

By this time, the remaining wax will be beginning to thicken, but this is of small consequence for you already have the impression of the face in the first coat. This second coat is simply to strengthen or reinforce your mold. Spoon it on to a thickness of from three-quarters to one inch.

If you want to hasten the hardening, take an ice cube or an ice bag filled with cold water, and rub it over the surface of the mold.

THE NEXT step is to make a plaster shell, or support, for your mold. This shell serves a two-fold purpose: first, to hold the mold while the casting plaster is being poured into it; secondly, to keep the mold from breaking under the weight of the wet plaster.

If my subject is not a child or a nervous adult, I usually make this shell before removing the mold from his face. Otherwise, I first carefully remove the mold, then immediately afterwards make the shell.

To make a shell, you mix your plaster with a little cold water, and stir until they are thoroughly mixed. Add just enough water to make a very thick batter, one that won't run. Don't worry about getting it too thick—just be sure it is thin enough to pour; here you are not concerned about the texture of your hardened plaster. And the thicker it is, the more rapidly it will set. To accelerate the setting, you also can add a teaspoon of common table salt to your wet plaster.

Pour or spoon it on the outside of the mold to a thickness of about one or one and a half inches. As it begins to set—as it does in just a few minutes—take your knife, and smooth down the top until it is flattened. You do this because the inverted shell serves as a sort of bowl to hold the mold while it is receiving the casting plaster, and you want it flat so it can be set on a level surface.

While the shell is hardening, you can clean up your equipment, and put your materials away. By the time this is accomplished, your mold should be ready to remove. First, remove the nostril tubes. The mold should then lift off easily. If, however, it tends to stick, simply insert your knife blade around the inside edges, and gently work it loose.

The mold itself is simply a large piece of hardened wax, on the inside of which is a perfect likeness of the person from whom it was made. When liquid plaster is poured into it and let harden there, it will come out an exact duplicate of the face and features of that person.

Once you have removed the mold, you can let your subject relax, for even if you plan to make more than one head of this same subject, you can still use the original mold unless, of course, it has been damaged some way. In that case, you can make a second mold from the original head.

Before casting the head, you must first carefully examine the inside of your mold, for if there are any surface defects—raised places or depressions—these must be corrected before you cast; otherwise, these flaws will appear in the finished head. Raised places can be scraped off with a razor blade or a pocket knife, and the area then smoothed over with your finger. The depressions must be filled in with melted wax, but it must be done with extreme care so as not to damage the surrounding area.

THE NEXT step is to prepare your casting plaster—that is, the plaster that will be poured into the mold to form the head. Mix it with cold water just as you did when you were preparing the shell. Here, however, you must see that the mixture is not too thick, for though it will harden more quickly, the finished product will be of coarser texture, and you are more likely to get flaws. Have it about the consistency of thick cream. Again, add a little table salt if you want to hurry up the hardening. Incidentally, this also makes the head more durable.

Watch out for air bubbles that sometimes form in your plaster during the mixing process, and that are a major cause of imperfections. You can help to avoid them by setting the bowl down with a thump just before you are ready to pour; this causes them to rise to the surface and to burst.

To make sure all the crevices around the eyes, nose and mouth are filled, I make a practice of painting these areas of my mold with a small brush dipped in the plaster mixture first, then pouring in the "batter".

Once it has been poured into the mold, simply set it aside to harden. In less than an hour it should be ready to remove from the mold. Exciting moment! Insert your knife blade between wax and plaster, then lift it out.

Remember though! Don't throw away your wax, even if you don't intend using that mold again. It can, as I said, be remelted and used to make other molds.

Just as a photographer retouches his pictures, so you may want to retouch your cast: first, if there are actual defects due to something going wrong in the process of casting; secondly, to eliminate wrinkles or lines that are actually present on the subject's face, and hence, recorded in the cast of that face. When we are having a mold made of our face, we want a true likeness, but the lines and wrinkles are one bit of reality most of us are willing to sacrifice. Of course, whether he wants these removed is for your subject to decide. And frankly, unless he does request this, I'd leave well enough alone; for especially when you are new at this type of work, the chances are that the less you tamper with the mask the better results you will have.

Just as with the mold, any raised places in the head can be scraped off with razor blade or knife, and the surface then smoothed with a piece of fine sandpaper. To eliminate lines, wrinkles or pitted places, first brush the area with clear water, then, with a small brush, fill the depression with your wet plaster mixture. To blend it in with the surrounding area, afterwards again go over your repairs with clear water. When dry, it can, if necessary, be sanded to smooth the surface.

Since the subject's eyes are closed when the mold is being made, they are closed in the cast head. Usually I leave them closed. If, however, you want them open, this can easily be taken care of by using a small pocket knife to carve lines to represent the lids. This is really simple once you get the knack of it, as you will after a few times.

As for the hair—for you will want to take care of that at this point—again we rely on our old standby, plaster of Paris. I mix a rather thick paste, then with my fingers, apply it to the top and sides of the head to suggest the general hair style of my subject. With my fingers, I make swirls to suggest curls, and dips for waves. This paste dries in just a couple of minutes, and the result is a lovely sculptured effect that makes your piece look as if it had actually been carved. To my mind, this hair styling does a very great deal toward "making" the head.

Maybe offhand—just hearing it described—it sounds horribly difficult; but once you try it, you'll be surprised what you can do. In fact, I'll go so far as to predict that when you see the results, you'll have yourself halfway convinced you're an honest-to-goodness sculptor.

WHAT YOU do now depends on what you are going to use your finished head for. I make mine into, masks, mounted pictures or bookends. You may have other good ideas. If you are making a mask or a picture, you'll need picture hangers which you can get at any ten-cent store. You'll need small pasteboard boxes to make the pictures or the bookends. I always manage to find boxes of a suitable size around the house; but if you don't find what you want, try going to a dime store or to a department store. They always have a supply of boxes on hand, and usually are willing to let you have them for nothing.

A mask is a head that is hung just as it is, without any mounting or frame, that is. Masks make a very attractive note in a modern setting. To make a mask, you simply insert the picture hanger in the flat back of the wet plaster head while it is hardening in the mold. When the head has completely hardened, the hanger is thus securely fixed in it. After removing the head from the mold, it can be sanded to smooth away any rough edges, then painted or finished, and your mask is ready to hang.

If, however, you prefer to mount the head—by that I mean to impose it upon a background—you will require a small paper box in which to mold a slab of plaster. Choose one of a size large enough that after the head has been placed in it, there will be an equal margin around all sides. Now mix your plaster just as you did when casting the head itself, and pour a little of it into the box. When it has set enough that the head won't sink, press the head flat side down into the wet plaster so that it is submerged about one-fourth inch. Make sure that you set it in straight, and that you leave equal margins on all sides. When the plaster is hardened, the head will be securely fixed in it. Now tear away the sides of the box. That done, simply glue or cement a hanger to the back of your picture, and it's ready for the finishing or painting.

From the mounted picture, it is but one simple step to making a bookend; in fact, the bookend is simply a mounted picture with a base so that it can stand upright. To make this base, you will need a second box the size of the base you will want. Fill it with wet plaster, then before it has had time to set, place in it the mounted picture. Stand it upright against one wall of the box, taking care to center it, so there is an equal margin on either side.

YOU ARE now ready for the final step. The head is ready to be finished, painted or bronzed, depending on what you or your customer, if you are doing it professionally, want. Personally, I prefer to give mine an ivory tint or to bronze them; I feel it gives them a more expensive look. It is true, however, that if you can get the 'subject's exact coloring, a painted head can be very striking. It isn't enough, though, just to paint the hair yellow and the eyes blue because you are dealing with a blond blue-eyed subject. It, must be the exact shade of blue, the identical shade of blond; for otherwise the finished head won't resemble your subject in spite of identical features and facial structure.

To give an ivory tint to your head, simply paint it with hot boiled linseed oil, which you can purchase at any paint or hardware store. Be sure to cover the head completely. When the oil has dried, the result is a delicate and lovely ivory finish.

To paint the head, you must first give it the ivory finish just described, then when it is dry, apply your colors. Tempera or water colors will do, but I prefer to do as many professional artists do, that is, to use flat lacquers. When you buy them, be sure to specify "flat" lacquers. They differ from regular lacquer in that they are not glossy but semi-mat, which produces a subdued and life-like effect.

They come in all the basic shades, but in order to match your subject's coloring, you will have to blend them. It may take considerable experimentation to get just what you are after; but remember, better not to paint at all unless you can achieve the exact shading.

To bronze the heads—and incidentally, bronzed heads are particularly popular as bookends—you will need to get from your art store some white glaze, raw or burnt umber in the powdered form, and powdered gold bronze. First, give the head a coat of the glaze. While it is drying—this takes only a half hour or so—measure the rest of your glaze in a measuring cup. To each cup of glaze, add one-fourth cup of the umber and one-eighth cup of gold bronze. Mix them well, and apply to the now dry head. When this second coat is dry, rub some of the gold bronze powder on the prominent parts of the face, as the cheekbones, and chin, but leave the depressed parts untouched. The combination of highlights and dark areas causes the head to resemble that of a statue that was actually cast out of bronze.