Dia de los Muertos Created and presented by Ms. Steinmetz

Dia de los Muertos November 2nd Day of the Dead is a holiday (or festival) when family members who have died are remembered. In Mexico, this festival is considered to be the most important holiday of the year. It is a period full of life, happiness, color, food, family, and fun.

Outdoor markets sell many symbolic goods, such as special breads, flowers, pottery, baskets, candles, paper puppets, candy skulls, etc. The main symbols of this holiday are skulls and skeletons. Marigolds-"flower of the dead” believed to attract the souls and draw them back.

Sugar Skulls Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Sugar skulls represent a departed soul and honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place.

Why Skulls? The skull is about the most important symbol in Mexican Day of the Dead Culture, because it symbolizes the soul. The idea is that just as the bones remain after the flesh has been rotted away, the soul remains after the body is discarded.

Day of the Dead Altars

What are some characteristics of these designs?

Pattern Line and Shape

Vibrant Colors Black outlines

Symbols

Sugar Skull Clay Relief Relief = means to RAISE Skulls should include several elements that are raised above (3D) the background plan. Painted designs are in addition to these areas.

Sources of Inspiration Aztec Patterns Ed Hardy Designs Henna Intricate Line Designs Symbols of personal importance (avoid clichés!)

Oil Pastel Resist Day of the Dead Skulls Created and Presented by Ms. Steinmetz

Oil Pastel/Watercolor Resist The word resist is used to describe the action in which two materials or media repel each other either chemically or physically. In this art piece we are using oil and water based paint to resist each other and repel. This mixed media work is using the black paint to show a contrast between the shapes of oil pastel and gives the illusion of a stained glass window.