Diamondback Rattlesnake Medusa

This design sat on my head like a 800-pound gorilla all weekend. I love nature's complicated neutral patterns, but I MUST remember in the future to never be seduced by Eastern Diamondbacks because this mask took a long time to paint. A looooong time.

I usually do Medusa in metallic colors drybrushed over black (usually bright jewel tones), which takes no time at all & looks dramatic, like a lady in an evening gown. However, I really wanted to challenge myself this time & I certainly did that. This was an excercise in love and compulsion.

The snake's eyes are real turquoise beads, hand-sewn onto pieces of black suede that are then cemented into each tiny snake head.

The mask is made of one solid piece of 100% high-grade tooling leather, hand-sculpted and painted (meticulously!) with liquitex acrylics. Then, I seal the whole thing with a clear acrylic coat, making the mask extremely durable & water-resistant.