Mask of Avatar | Face Sized & Sculpted With Foil and Paper

Pandora is honestly the coolest world out there so magical, so alive, and something I’d love to step into. And of course, what better way to enter than with a Neytiri mask? So I decided to make one for myself! And here it is.

1. Cardboard
2. Paper
3. Foil sheet
4. Scissors
5. Cutter
6. Masking tape
7. Supper glue
8. Epoxy clay
9. Acrylic colors
10. Black thread (for hair)

I began by covering my face with aluminum foil to make the mold. After placing the foil, I first made markings where my eyes were, so I would know the correct position later. Once the mold was set, I carefully tore open the foil at the eye areas to create proper openings. Since foil is very delicate and can get damaged easily, I then used masking tape on both sides to strengthen it. Finally, I covered the entire mold with masking tape to keep it intact and firm.

I began shaping the facial theme of Neytiri by focusing on her distinct features, like the flat and broad forehead, the unique nose structure with two holes for breathing, and her large, round eyes. To build these details, I mainly used layers of paper and foil, gradually adding them to form the nose, cheekbones, cheeks, eyebrows, and the area around the eyes. These materials gave support and structure while allowing me to capture the characteristic look. For a clearer view of the process, I’ve also shared videos that show the steps in more detail.

For the lips, my initial idea was to leave the mouth section open so that when I wore the mask, my own mouth would show through. But later, I felt it would be more striking and realistic to actually create her lips. So, I switched the plan and used epoxy clay to sculpt them. I shaped the lips mostly with my hands, without needing any tools, slowly molding and adjusting until I was happy with how natural they looked.I also used clay to even out the surfaces wherever necessary. In the images you can see that I used clay to fill the gaps between the brows and the forehead & also did some finishing work on the nose.

For the next step, I started working on the headpiece that Neytiri wears. To create the base, I first took a piece of cardboard and drew out the shape of the headpiece. Once I had the outline, I molded epoxy clay over it, shaping it carefully to get the right form. I then used a cutter to make the necessary markings and add fine details to the design. For the cylindrical piece in the center, I used foil to give it a shiny effect, which added a nice touch to the overall look.

I finished it off by coloring the headpiece, making it look complete and close to the original.

Before painting the mask, I applied a mixture of glue and water all over it to seal the masking tape and secure everything in place. I brushed it thoroughly, let it dry overnight, and then began painting the mask.

For the hair, I used black thread since I couldn’t find thicker ones. I made several neat braids, keeping them of standard size, and then attached them to her head to complete the look.

Here all the pieces finally came together and everything was done. I decided not to attach the headpiece to the mask because I liked how it looked both with and without it.

Hopefully, wearing this mask gets me entry into Pandora!