Hybrid masks

Hybrid masks

This past week I have been finishing off a batch of 4 hybrid ornamental masks, I say finishing off as the process to make the masks started a few months ago when I buy the Australian burr and start to process it ready for casting.

I have made some of these masks before a few years ago and spoke about how the original idea was based on seeing an ornament (prop) in the background of the TV show Fraiser.

I looked at the shape and quickly seen how simple it would be to make, the first couple I made in wood weren't perfect but I soon developed the process and improved the proportions.

I post all my work on instagram, its a kind of daily blog and I have been a bit gob smacked by how many requests (sometimes demands!!) I have had publicly and by private direct message to make a video showing how these are made.

what is the difference in the culture from the first time I made these a few years ago to now where people think that they MUST be shown how its done and get annoyed when I politely decline?

Its not a secret, the design is not unique and they are not protected in some way, its simply a made up design, but why should I spend my time showing step by step how I make them for others to copy when i am trying to make a living and do not get paid for youtube, in fact I have had to turn the comments of on my current youtube videos due to the hate comments I was receiving!

I think part of it is the difference between a hobby person and a full time person, but there is also something else going on that I cant work out.