Javanese Mask Making
I spent three days in the Warnow Askito Studio, the mask makers I had met through Dr. Supardjian. The older brother was a wonderful teacher, patiently sitting and watching me do things and correcting many things I did not know I was doing incorrectly and filling in technical gaps. Without any intention to diminish his impact on me, Oka was a grand master with less of a teacher's talent than this man had. I also feel that he is only comfortable doing the traditional work, which is fine with me because there are many differences between the Balinese and Javanese mask styles.
In both cases, the tools are limited to chisel and mallet, but the Javanese hollow out a tree stump that serves as a makeshift vise, so there is no need to hold the mask in place with one’s feet. I learned how the shape of the eyes serves to communicate instantly to the audience the social level and quality of the character. Facial features tend to be more angular (aquiline noses and thin mouths) and less full than the Balinese counterparts, and there is greater variety in the use of color and ornamentation. In the three days, I made good starts on a new panji mask and wayang golek puppet head. On my departure, my teacher gave me some traditional Javanese chisels, very different from the ones I acquired on Bali and a wooden hammer.
