Project Instructions:
Step One ::
A. Please find 5 different photos of calaveras that you find inspiring. Copy and paste them onto a Word document and electronically submit them to me. This MUST be turned in as only one document. If it is submitted in more than one document it will not be accepted. Do not use any of the images that are in the slide show above.
B. Do a detailed sketch in your art journal of the calavera that you plan to make. Use your ENTIRE paper and color.
Step Two ::
The video below is how we will create the base layer for our masks. We will start on this Friday September 20th. Please be prepared to put Vaseline all over your face! This will be a meeeeessy project. Ladies, you may bring your makeup to touch up after this! :)
If you decide to do this from home don't forget these key points ::
Step One ::
A. Please find 5 different photos of calaveras that you find inspiring. Copy and paste them onto a Word document and electronically submit them to me. This MUST be turned in as only one document. If it is submitted in more than one document it will not be accepted. Do not use any of the images that are in the slide show above.
B. Do a detailed sketch in your art journal of the calavera that you plan to make. Use your ENTIRE paper and color.
Step Two ::
The video below is how we will create the base layer for our masks. We will start on this Friday September 20th. Please be prepared to put Vaseline all over your face! This will be a meeeeessy project. Ladies, you may bring your makeup to touch up after this! :)
If you decide to do this from home don't forget these key points ::
- Put ALOT of vaseline all over your face. Especially over your eyebrows, facial hair, and your forehead.
- Do your lips in three sections - Upper lip, bottom lip, then another strip in the middle.
- Do your nose last. Don't forget to do in between your nostrils.
- Let your mask set for 15-20 minutes before you take it off your face.
- Let your mask dry for a MINIMUM of 24 hours. AT LEAST. 36 or more hours would be better.
- Bring it to school in a box of some sort to protect it. The mask is extremely fragile and should be handled as little as possible.
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is one of the oldest traditions celebrated in Mexico, dating back since the rule of the Aztec Empire, before the Spanish arrival and conquest of Mexico in the early sixteenth century. It is a celebration held in Mexico and in Central American countries where family members commemorate their ancestors in a way that is different from customs in the United States. This celebration is very significant to the people of Mexico, particularly to people who are devoted Catholics and annually take part in this celebration on November 2nd, and to those of Mexican origin who live outside of the country. It is a holiday that mixes parts of Roman Catholicism with Native American traditions that pre-date the arrival of the Spanish in the Americas. It is a unique celebration like no other, where the memory of departed loved ones is honored, where people remember, rejoice and even mock death. This holiday celebrates death as a normal and natural part of life.
This holiday, which falls at the same time as Halloween, is different since it does not include such imagery as witches, black cats, or pumpkins. While Halloween is associated with costumes and trick-or-treating, Dia de los Muertos is more of a memorial type of holiday. Both holidays, however, do share a common visual connection with the presence of skeleton imagery throughout.
Families often set up offerings or altars called ofrendas, either at home or at the cemetery.
Throughout the Dia de los Muertos people remember their ancestors by honoring their memory, by feasting on foods (such as pan de muerto or calaveras de azucar), and playing or singing the songs which were favored by their ancestors. Some ofrendas are also decorated with marigolds and calaveras made of papier-mache. Calavera—the skull or skeleton—is the number one symbol for Dia de los Muertos. The calaveras are often misunderstood by people who do not know the history of the holiday. The skulls are not intended to be scary, but rather symbolic: The skull represents the death of the body or the passing away of the person, and the decorative designs represent the beauty of their life.
Many Latino families who have arrived in the United States have also brought these customs with them, and in many towns and cities with Latino communities, there are annual Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
Día de los Muertos is a very interesting holiday for students to learn about, since it addresses multiculturalism and helps students develop a sense of diversity and respect for other cultures. students are exposed to different experiences, traditions, and lifestyles of other people around the world. This Mexican holiday is particularly important for students to learn about since there is a common misconception that this celebration is the Mexican version of Halloween, since both holidays are celebrated at around the same time. In order for students to develop cultural awareness, acceptance and appreciation, and at the same time reduce common misconceptions, myths, and prejudices, they need to learn about diverse peoples in a healthy and non-judgmental manner. By exploring other cultures in stimulating and insightful ways, students will gain a deeper understanding of the diversity of ideas that surround them, in addition to expanding their points of view and becoming more open-minded and observant individuals.