Behind the Mask

Finding credibility online was one challenge this mask maker had to overcome. Here’s how she did it.

By Rocel Ann G. Junio

Thanks to cable TV, Katrina Pallon knew at a young age what she wanted to do. Her fascination with masks traces back to a special aired over the National Geographic Channel, featuring the Carnival of Venice, an annual event in Italy held two weeks before the Lenten Season.

Then a high school student, she was amazed by the colors, shapes, and intricate details of Venetian masks originally worn by locales to hide differences in social classes. A few years later, she found herself completing her degree in fine arts at the University of the Philippines with a thesis on Bacolod’s MassKara Festival.

Pallon, now in her early 20s, channels her love for these enchanting coverings into a business venture called Midnight Masquerade, which started in 2008. Her first order came through a referral to Ariel Villasanta, half of the television comic duo Ariel and Maverick.

“Upon completing four mask orders for [him], I decided to post them on my Multiply.com account, which served as my temporary online portfolio. A couple of weeks later, a second order came, which I also documented and posted on Multiply. After that, orders started to trickle in. That’s when I decided to convert my account into an online mask shop. Midnight Masquerade was born,” she says.

SELLING ART VIA MULTIPLY

Old newspapers and directories, acrylic  paint, plaster of Paris, fabric, gems and ribbons, and loads of creativity and imagination make up Pallon’s masks. She learned the basics of creating masks from a a paper-mache class in school, and then modified the steps to match her creative process.

“The first step is to choose a mold that fits the client’s facial structure. From there, the paper-mache is made, sun-dried, and cut to the desired shape. A hardening agent is applied on the mask and left to dry. Lastly, the paint job is done and adornments are added,” she explains.

Pallon says she creates all sorts of masks – from half and full masks to gattos, or masks shaped like a cat’s face. Her designs are a blend of Asian and European art with hints of art styles from the Victorian and Baroque periods. She makes sure though that no two masks are alike: “I may derive inspiration from a previous work of mine, but it’s important that each mask is unique to every client,” says Pallon.

By far, she considers her Multiply account as her main business outlet, “as it is where I get most, if not all, of my local clients.”

Pallon often receives messages from people who are interested in her work through Multiply’s comments page and private-messages feature. To confirm an order, a local client is required to pay half of the mask’s price as down payment, and the remaining balance is given upon delivery of the mask. “Foreign clients, on the other hand, are required to pay the full amount including the shipping fee before I start working on their orders,” she says. Pallon imposed these policies after falling victim to people who ordered masks and halfway through a project turned incommunicado.

Nevertheless, she still meets with clients at key areas of the metropolis whenever necessary. “I do meet clients to discuss designs of custom-made masks,” says Pallon.

Pallon says Midnight Masquerade’s gross monthly income ranges from P20,000 to P30,000, and increases significantly by the end of the school year (February to April) when most proms and graduation balls are held, and during the holiday season (December).

“I guess the biggest challenge for Midnight Masquerade was finding a niche market and getting a regular number of orders per month. To prove my credibility, I offer my online visitors a comprehensive documentation of masks I’ve made for previous clients,” says Pallon, referring to blog entries complete with photos and description of her works.

Doing business in a fast-growing online marketplace does not bother this young artist. “Midnight Masquerade’s edge over other Multiply businesses is its products – artistic and elegantly custom-designed masks that are made from quality materials. Offering a unique product has helped my business thrive as I cater to a very specific market,” says Pallon.