![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK9xbzcAxDrG6gHpJ0NO9HzGh2x96nCrM6rm5oUxfCvAbQR8oA2spFYQmCtv1JkUeUWGSBs54biVXQtuQb4aPn2mrR_srhGYkOhk44m63xnZRKJ1nwcUWIxwIC2w4_TE3xVn19_SQzX0/s400/mask+Mishima+book.jpg)
Masks are worn to protect or disguise the face. Most masks worn to disguise are in the form of an animal or another person.
Protective masks serve a specific purpose. For example, a welder wears a steel mask with a special lens to shield their eyes from the intense light produced by welding. Disguise masks include ceremonial masks, theatrical masks, burial and death masks, and festival masks.
Masks are made of varied materials including paper, cloth, grass, leather, metal, shell, and carved of wood or stone.
They can be painted with symbolic designs and vivid colors. Some masks have realistic human or animal features, while others provide a grotesque appearance.