Masks have been, and continue to be, constructed from a variety of materials for widely different significant reasons throughout the world. The materials used have depended on the geographical location, the time period, and the resources available to the creators. Generally, using naturally occurring resources from the environment creates more naturalistic style masks.

Masks from all over the world demonstrate a variety of materials and forms. Almost any material that may be carved or molded has been used for mask making. The right chart is a list of the most common materials that are used in mask making: