Cow Gas Mask: Step Three

This is the third and final installment of making a cow gas mask.


I've added the leather surround, and temporarily inserted the eyepieces for final shaping.


I designed the snout to accentuate the cow's mouth, so it would be readily identifiable.


Brass hardware has been added, and the mask antiqued to make it look old.


The final mask with cold cast resin parts, displayed on the fiberglass cow. Moo-o-o-o!

Cow Gas Mask: Step Two

Here I have cut the duct tape pattern pieces apart with an Xacto knife, and I'm peeling them off one by one. The wooden disc leaves a hole for the eyepiece and its lens will go.

I transfer the duct tape patterns onto a piece of heavy cardstock, which after some fine-tuning become my final patterns.

Starting with the snout, I cut the leather pieces along with the stitching holes, case them in water and handstitch them together. While still damp I fit them onto the foam model to ensure a good fit.

Here the mask is mostly together. The darker leather is where I got it wet in order to stitch on the eye trim. Still more to come.

Cow Gas Mask: Step One

I was commissioned by the Monterey Bay Aquarium to construct a leather steampunk gas mask for a fiberglass cow, as part of an upcoming exhibition on global warming. Here is how I went about making it.


This was my initial drawing as submitted to the aquarium.


And here it is somewhat altered after receiving their comments on the design. This drawing was approved.


They sent me this foam copy of the cow's head, from which I could make the pattern. The ears and horns are indicated by the red plastic cups, so I could figure out where to put the straps.


Here I have covered the head in duct tape, and marked the individual pattern pieces to cut off and transfer to leather. I've also indicated what type of stitching I'll be doing on each piece. More to come.

Cow Gas Mask

The air has been particularly bad lately. Smog and pollution fill the skies. So you sneak out around midnight, hoping that the night air might be a little cleaner. Then you come face to face with this fellow.

This is no doubt the strangest commission I have ever received. For an upcoming exhibition. Details will come later.