He forewarns of problems that may occur and suggests ways of avoiding them. For example, a director would not want to have to replace a mask just a few days before the performance because it lacked proper breathing holes for the wearer. Nor would an actor wish for the embarassment which would be caused if a mask disintegrated mid-performance. McKay always keeps the reader aware of potential difficulties. Highlighted boxes offer extra advice and make it easy to see at a glance what materials are needed.
Illustrations demonstrate the process of making the masks.
Chapters 4 and 5 outline how to prepare a cast of the face and then make a sculpt over the cast. Here again, simple advice on matters which could otherwise be overlooked is presented to the reader in a form which is in no way condescending. Particular care is devoted to ensuring the physical comfort and mental well-being of the model. Once again, problems are obviated before they can be encountered, so that even the novice cannot go wrong. Chapter 6 describes making a papier mache mask from the sculpt, including the decoration of the mask.