In time for Halloween we learned about "Dia de los Muertos"! This "day of the dead" holiday is a colorful Mexican festivity and national holiday which takes place from Oct 31-Nov 2. The celebration revolves around honoring, remembering and celebrating loved ones who have passed on. Skulls (calaveras) made from sugar ("sugar skulls") are brightly decorated with designs, symbolism and flowers, and placed on alters and graves together with food, drinks and trinkets for the deceased.
For our project we traced the outline of a skull on our paper and added our choice of features, patterns and symbols. I had plenty of visuals of flowers, symbols, and decorated sugar skulls for the kids to take inspiration from.
Precise attention was paid to symmetry and the balanced use of design elements and color. Skull elements designs were drawn in black permanent marker and colored in colored marker.
Skulls were cut out and mounted on deco paper. I think the black patterned paper works really well, since it doesn't interfere so much with the colorful skulls, and it adds that graphic, bold quality.
Skulls were cut out and mounted on deco paper. I think the black patterned paper works really well, since it doesn't interfere so much with the colorful skulls, and it adds that graphic, bold quality.
For a fantastic animated movie about Dia de los Muertos, watch The Book of Life. Great movie, fit for kids of all ages (and adults).
The kids really enjoyed this project. They worked so intensively and without a peep. Totally immersed in their efforts to achieve total symmetry! I think they did an amazing job! Look at those roses! Happy Dia de los Muertos!
Best thing about this project? The parents of my five year old student had her sugar skull drawing tattooed on on their upper arms!!! Now that's a compliment, for me and the little artist!!
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| 7-9 year olds |
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| 8-12 year olds |
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| 5-7 year olds |