A mask made of vegetable-tanned leather (cowhide). The leather is soaked in water and adapted to the shape on the back of which it is nailed, then beaten with horn hammers and stretched with wooden sticks until it dries, only then will it form the exact shape of the mask. The eyes and nose holes are then cut out. The parts of leather exceeding the edges are thinned and a metal wire is inserted on the edge around the mask, securing it with the cut leather. Once finished, the mask is polished with wax.

The masks for the actors of the commedia dell'arte were traditionally, and still are, made of leather. This material, which has found no better substitute over the centuries, has characteristics such as durability and a relative flexibility that makes the masks increasingly adaptable to the face, especially with use and sweat.

The more the surfaces are well defined and the more the edges are well marked, the more the stage lights will enhance the shapes of the mask.

For daylight shows, it is advisable to refine the masks with colour. However, it should be noted that the colours for leather are absorbent and non-covering and that leather tends to darken over time, making the colours uniform towards darker shades.