Uncle Charlie Becomes Crixus

In the two weeks since I lasted posted about the Uncle Charlie mask, I have been tweaking the pattern and adding bits and bobs. I felt that the forehead piece lay too flat, and so redesigned it to stand up more.

I realized that the center seam between the eyes--while helping the skull look--was unnecessary and if I eliminated it I could add a row of spikes there. I changed the leather pattern enough so that I needed to remake the prototype from scratch. And I gave the leather a nice rusty iron coloring.

Even though the mask was done (except for the straps), and I liked it, I didn't have a clear idea what it was. It wasn't until I spent a couple of days studying it that I realized that it was both protective and scary.

It dawned on me that it resembled nothing so much as a gladiator's mask, and so thus was born Crixus, the steampunk gladiator. After all, no one would take Uncle Charlie the Gladiator seriously.