Create a Sugar Skull Masks
For Day of the Dead!!
LASC’s Community Schools Art Project 2016
Here you will find the easy step by step process for making “Sugar Skull” masks for Day of the Dead.
This project is very simple, and will be a great way to integrate history, culture, and art into your
classroom through the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and to have your students’
“Sugar Skull” masks displayed during the Living Arts and Science Center’s Day of the Dead Festival on
Tuesday, November 1st, 2016.
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
With its origins based in ancient Mesoamerican culture and Catholicism and celebrated in Mexico and
throughout Latin America, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time of joyous celebration when the
souls of past loved ones are remembered. Through the creation of an ofrenda or altar (memorial), the
departed are enticed to return to earth for one day each year. On November 1st, known as the Night of
the Angels, the souls of children are welcomed back. The following day of November 2nd, All Souls’ Day,
all others spirits are encouraged to visit Earth again. This is accomplished through the construction of an
ofrenda or altar (memorial) that presents earthly favorites of food, drink, and cherished objects to the
souls of the departed.
Below is a link to a video about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) that you can use to introduce this
Mexican celebration to your students before they create their “Sugar Skull” masks. It is recommended
to preview this videos to make sure that it is appropriate for students.
Day of the Dead
3:48 video length
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsbr_Tkn08w
A short documentary on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) symbolism and celebration practices.
Living Arts and Science Center’s Day of the Dead Festival
Each year, the LASC host its annual Day of the Dead Festival on November 1st. In conjunction with the
festival, a Community Art Project based on the unique imagery, symbols, and traditions of this Mexican
celebration honoring the dead is presented. Past participants includes area schools, home school
students, and community groups. This year’s project is based on the iconic sugar skull image that has
grown into an important symbol used during Day of the Dead. The Festival Del Dia De Los Muertos (Day
of the Dead Festival) will be held on Tuesday, November 1st from 5:00 – 9:00pm at the Living Arts and
Science Center.
Sugar Skulls and Day of the Dead
Sugar Skulls are the jolly iconic symbol the world has grown to associate with Dia de
los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Based upon European confections brought to Mexico
after the Spanish conquest of 1521 combined with the abundance of inexpensive
sugar, these happy skull creations were introduced into the celebration starting
around the mid-18th Century to add a playful element. Sugar skulls represent the
departed and symbolize the sweetness of life. Decorated with bright colors, patterns, and even the
name of the deceased being honored these cheerful confections are placed on ofrendas or altars that
are created to remembered the dead.
How to participate in the LASC’s Community Art Project for Day of the Dead
*To have your students’ “Sugar Skull” masks displayed during the Living Arts and Science Center’s Day
of the Dead Festival please email Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols at [email protected] or call
(859)252-5222 to receive a contact form and to arrange a time for drop-off of your students masks.
Please contact Jeffrey to let him know that you are going to participate by October 7th or if you have
any questions. The following calendar will give you important dates for participating in the LASC’s
Community Art Project and to have your students’ masks displayed during our Festival Del Dia De Los
Muertos (Day of the Dead Festival) on Tuesday, November 1st from 5:00 – 9:00pm at the Living Arts and
Science Center.
*For your students’ masks to be properly installed on the walls of the LASC’s Children’s Gallery leading
up to the festival they need to be created on a rigid board such as cardstock, recycled cardboard, heavy
poster board, or any other rigid type of board. Do to the nature of how these masks will be displayed it
is important that they are created on a firm board and it will be the discretion of the Gallery Director to
reject masks that are to flimsy for presentation.
th
Calendar
Friday, October 7 : Notify Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols by this date that your school/class is
planning on participating in this year’s Community Schools Arts Project (Sugar Skull Masks) and to
receive a contact form.
Friday, October 21st: Last date for dropping off students’ masks to be displayed during the LASC’s
Festival.
Tuesday, November 1st: LASC’s Day of the Dead Festival, 5:00PM – 9:00PM.
November 11th – November 18th: Retrieve your student’s masks from the LASC.
Project Instructions
Supplies you will need:
• Card stock, recycled cardboard, heavy poster board, or any rigid type of board
• Black makers
• Colored makers (optional)
• Scissors (if needed)
• Glue (if needed)
• Seeds, grains, beans, sequins, spangles, feathers and glitter (optional)
Project Steps
1. We have a template that can be used for this project. Provided on the LASC web site, teachers
will find a template click here; which is just the sugar skull outline. You can also have your
students create their own skull outline if you would prefer. The outline is from the original
design created by LASC staff member Steve Littrell for our annual Day of the Dead Festival.
The template can be printed on standard 8.5” x 11” cardstock or standard copier paper. If you
print it on standard copier paper it will need to be glued upon a sturdier board such as
cardstock, cardboard, or poster board.
Not actual size
2. Using black markers, students can draw stylized eye and nose sockets as well as well teeth.
Suggestion: find images off the internet of real and drawn sugar skulls that you can present so
your students have a better understand on what they are creating. Allow your students to be
creative and encourage originality. Below is the approach that Steven Littrell used in his
design for the LASC’s “Sugar Skull” and should only be used for reference.
Not actual size
3. Traditional sugar skulls incorporate a variety of shapes, patterns, dots, paisley design, leaf and
flower imagery, and lots of color. Again, explore the internet to find examples of both real
and drawn sugar skulls that you can present to your students. Below is the design created by
Steven little for the LASC and again should only be used for reference.
Not actual size
4. Below is a visual example of another approach to creating “Sugar Skull” masks.
Variation #2
5. After your students’ masks are drawn and colored have them glue seeds, grains, beans,
sequins, spangles, feathers and glitter to decorate their masks. The possibilities are endless!
Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of a “Sugar Skull” mask ready to be displayed during Dia
de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)! Contact Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols at [email protected] or
call 859-252-5222 to participate in this year’s Community Art Project for the LASC’s Festival Del Dia De
Los Muertos (Day of the Dead Festival) on Tuesday, November 1st from 5:00 – 9:00pm at the Living Arts
and Science Center.
The Living Arts and Science Center
362 N Martin Luther King Blvd
Lexington, KY 40508
859-252-5222
www.LASClex.org