What does our face say about us? Nonverbal communication is very important. I have had a few sarcastic remarks bomb because my smirk was hiding under a mask. (Or, at least, that is my excuse.) We have been pushed into this state of social interaction where we are using the same facial expressions but no one sees them. Our brains struggle to interpret the nuances of communication as the speaker is half covered. I have started to use more head and eye movements as I try to craft my messages in the most understandable way. Some muffling of sound and not being able to augment our hearing with some lip reading also push the need for more nonverbal/non-facial expression.
Face mask art is now a thing. People are designing their own at home, making some to sell, uploading designs to print-on-demand sights. Designers and clothing manufacturers are getting in on it. I wonder if the planned fall designs are all getting a mask accessory? Should I match my purse to my mask or my shoes?
Jokes, quotes, sports, and art
Active Art 
Laughing out loud as I scroll through your designs. I’d like that first one (“If you can read this, you’re standing too close”), but it might actually encourage people to get too close in order to read … you know, people like me who are over 60 and vision-challenged 😉 Still … it’s very, very tempting 😉 Good luck with these designs!
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Hehe. I have thought the same thing about some bumper stickers. Just got an idea (from your new-ish pastime) about people picking up their mess now that gloves are all over parking lots.
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Omg, I’m seeing gloves discarded here and there too! What is wrong with people?
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https://vm.tiktok.com/7TSBG3/
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I have one pending approval that says “better than bleach” 😈
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“Cough if you love COVID” Could be a big seller. Or not.
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Oh my! LOL. I’d wear it.
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Reblogged this on Mitch Teemley and commented:
“Cough if you love COVID 19.” That’s the only facemask “bumper sticker” I’ve come up with so far. Think it’ll sell?
My Featured Blogger this week is Laura, aka “Katie,” of Active Art, and the face mask designs in this post are hers. I only recently began following Katie’s site and am still exploring her previous posts. But I’ve discovered this much: She’s a Florida-based artist with a broad range of creative interests–fine art, photography, graphics and product development. She also discovers and shares the work of other artists, as well. So, while you’re sheltering-in-place…
Visit her and explore!
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oh so perfect! “If you can read this, you’re standing too close” got me, I can see them on masks, backs of t’shirts, etc! 🙂
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Thanks! That’s the one that had me thinking about bumper stickers. 😄🙌
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It’s nice you’re seeing the funny side of it. I like “If you can read this, you’re standing too close”. It is also has a thought-provoking value.
My biggest concern is that people, who use self-made masks or purchase somebody else’s “designer mask” need to know that there is practically no protection when wearing such mask. With the same effect, one can use bandana and for that matter any cloth, towel, shawl or anything similar around nose and mouth.
They are not tight fit.
Such masks are not made of specific material which prevents microparticles from getting through.
The person wearing self-made mask might think they are protected and act on that assumption and finally, it is horrible how protective equipment is turned into some kind of fashion. There is sunny side to it, however, with all the funny and hilarious designs.
The best thing to wear with homemade mask would be a face-shield. That would maybe result in some 50% protection. Realistically, any mask, protective mask like N95 (the number indicates the level of microparticles which won’t get through material) is supposed to be for one-time use only because it’s unlikely we have the degree of disinfection available at home which would still maintain the integrity of mask and get rid of possible contamination.
If one is wearing self-made mask, it needs to be disinfected at least after every use (use as in an hour, visit to one place, etc.). Disinfected, like boiling in strong soap or detergent, or bleached for quite a while. If you reuse or do not disinfect it, you’re just carrying around more germs and possibly inhaling them.
Your designs are great.
I hope there is more real protective equipment available soon because with some places reopening, there is real high risk of infection.
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Thank you for bringing up cautions and considerations with the masks. How they are handled once they have been put on is very important. Everything that is less than full medical PPE offers some protection to the wearer, even if just decreased viral load during exposure. Wearing them and procedure masks protects others more. Hopefully wearing them will not encourage risky behavior. I tend to rotate my masks to try to let time help kill any contamination. For the cloth masks, my preference is hot water and soap. I am sensitive to bleach and actually use a n95 when around it for any significant time. N95s can be hard to wear for some with some conditions, so if they must go out, a lesser level of protection may be better than nothing. With shortages, I guess we do what we can to make sure we are not part of the problem. Social distancing and washing/sanitizing hands and surfaces are still probably the best weapons we have.
This new way of life looks to go on for some time. First with the shortages for medical personnel and then fueled by the recommendation that everyone wear masks, designs evolved quickly from functional to designed. Part of it may just be the nature of having to cope with wearing something over the face. -All the expressions and communication that is lost when we are covered. Part of it could be that the first surge in homemade masks came from creative craftspeople. The print on demand sites now allow people who don’t sew to design their own or order ones that match their personality or outfits.
Like you said, hopefully people won’t get too comfortable and start exposing themselves to greater risk.
Thanks again for taking the time to comment. It made me really think through some aspects of this unprecedented shift in lifestyle due to this horrible virus.
Be well, stay safe.
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