Polygons to Papercraft: Designing Wearable Masks Part 2

Part 1 of this program: October 3, 2026 | Part 2 of this program: October 10, 2026

 

In this two-day program, participants will learn the fundamentals of 3D modeling using Blender to design a custom wearable mask, then construct it out of lightweight cardboard, ready for decoration.

 

On this second day in the Discovery Center makerspace, we will take the designs created in the previous session and turn the printed patterns back into their original 3D forms. Your patterns of triangles might not look like much at first, but with some careful cutting, scoring, folding, and gluing, it will spring back into the very mask you designed on screen the previous week.

 

We'll provide lightweight cardboard, cutting tools, adhesives, and plenty of guidance as you cut, score, and fold each panel. It's a little bit like solving a puzzle, and a little bit like origami... satisfying, hands-on, and a great way to see how digital design connects to the physical world.

 

Once your mask has taken shape, we will move on to decoration. Using art materials available in the Discovery Center makerspace, you'll be able to personalize your mask into a finished piece that's uniquely yours, whether that means eerie and elegant, wild and colorful, or sleek and futuristic.

 

You'll leave with a wearable, one-of-a-kind mask that started as nothing more than a shape on a screen — and a new set of skills in 3D modeling, digital fabrication, and hands-on making.

 

What to bring: Nothing required, but those aiming for a specific look may consider bringing any speciality materials for decoration.

 

Who it's for: Teens (ages 15+) and adults who attended Day 1. Openings may be available the day of, with Halloween-themed mask patterns available.