Make a Day of the Dead Mask for Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos Mask

How to Make Dia de los Muertos Masks

Face masks part of the celebrations of Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated in from late October to early November in Mexico, parts of the U.S. and many other Latin America countries.

The Day of the Dead is the time of the year when friends and family gather to gather, honor and celebrate the memory of those who have died.

As part of colorful Dia de los Muertos costumes, celebrators often wear ornately decorated face masks in the shapes of skulls or the devil, el diablo.

There are many ways to make a Day of the Dead mask from the very simple partial face mask to the more ornately decorated full face mask.

Making a mask from the start or decorating a premade mask is a fun way to get into the spirit of this international celebration. It can also be a fun educational activity for teachers to share with their classes as part of learning more about different cultural holidays like Dia de los Muertos.

Creating your own Day of the Dead mask is also a fun project to share with kids or grand kids, while they learn more about this holiday.

Read on to find out some of the different ways to make your own Dia de los Muertos Mask.

Dia de los Muertos Mask by Christian Frausto Bernal. Used under a Creative Commons License.

Decorative Skull Mask

Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a day where the focus is on a celebration of life, not a true day to focus on death. The holiday is considered for many to be the most important one in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Day of the Dead occurs around the same time as Halloween in the United States and also two holidays in the Catholic church—All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2.

This is time of the year when it is believed that the spirits of loved ones who have died, return to earth to spend time with friends and family. Churches and cemeteries are decorated. People build ofrendas or altars to welcome the dead to the celebrations. Events, festivals and parades are held in many countries during Dias de los Muertos.

Skeletons (calacas) and skulls (calaveras) have become symbols of the Day of the Dead and ways to remember the dead. Celebrators dress up as skeletons or calacas, wearing face masks as part of this celebration of those who have died.

The face masks may be done in a few colors, making a black and white skull or brightly colored. Sugar Masks are brightly colored and ornately-decorated like the colorful sugar skulls created and given as gifts to the living and the dead. The masks are worn to hide one's identity or hung up as part of the Dia de los Muertos decorations.

Day of the Dead Decorative Skull Mask by Gruenemann. Used under a Creative Commons License.

Types of Day of the Dead Masks

There are several different types of masks that can be purchased or crafted for use in Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

1. Premade Masks
2. Latex Costume Masks
3. Partial Face Masks
4. Paper Masks
5. Paper Mache Masks

Visit The Costume Detective

• The Costume Detective - DIY Costume Ideas
  A website for finding the Best DIY Costumes, Crafts and Halloween Fun with information on DIY costumes and crafts previously prominently featured as part of the Best of Halloween and Make Your Own Halloween Costumes on Squidoo.

Vote on Day of the Dead Masks

Dia De Los Muertos Decorative Wall Mask

Dia De Los Muertos Wall Mask

Day of the Dead Decorative Wall Masks on eBay

Some of the wall masks can also be worn as costume masks. Be sure to read the descriptions so you know what you are getting.

Scroll to Continue

Meteora, Greece, A Heavenly Experience?

Business Concepts For Beginners

The World is Always Wide Enough

Dia de Los Muertos Wearable Mask

Day of the Dead Groom Mask

Wearable Day of the Dead Masks

These latex mask work well with the Day of the Dead costumes.

Dia de los Muertos Partial Face Masks

Partial Day of the Dead Masks on Amazon

Partial Face Masks

Learn More about the Day of the Dead

• Smithsonian Latino Center Day of the Dead: Dia de la Muertos
  Learn about the Day of the Dead from the Smithsonian Institution website.
• Dias de los Muertos
  Dias de los Muertos Palomar College Site for the Dead Multicultural Studies Department
• Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos - El Dia de los Muertos - azcentral.com
  Day of the Dead, azcentral.com's coverage of Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, a three-day Mexican holiday to honor and celebrate loved ones who have died.
• Day of the Dead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Day of the Dead page on Wikipedia.

Easy to Make Day of the Dead Paper Masks

Tattooed Skull

Make a Day of the Dead Paper Mask

Paper Day of the Dead Masks can be made a simple, an in between and a more complicated way.

The simple way involves purchasing Paper Day of the Dead masks that have already been colored and decorated. You can start wearing these soon after they are purchased or arrive by delivery.

The in between way involves printing out Day of the Dead skeleton images on cardstock or on paper and coloring them. The paper can be glued to cardboard to make the mask more sturdy.

The more complicated way involves drawing your own graphic images. This is the most creative method and lets everyone explore their imagination. After looking at several different images of the sugar skulls, the next thing to do is to look at a great tutorial. Blog.SpoonGraphics is just one of the many great tutorials showing how you can draw your own sugar skulls.

Tattooed Skull by Ben. From OpenClipart.org

Coloring Printable Day of the Dead Masks

Day of the Dead Masks - Cardboard

Day of the Dead Skull Printables

• Mexican Dia de los Muertos Printable Skull
  The full image of a detailed vector sugar skull illustration from a tutorial showing you how to create a detailed illustration.
• Printable Sugar Skull Masks
  Sugar Skull mask reproducibles from the Mexic-Arte Museum.
• Day of the Dead Skull Paper Mexican Mask - Printable Face Masks
  Printable Mexican paper mask design for children to decorate, good children activity masks for Day of the Dead celebrations and other playtime activities for young children.
• Day of the Dead information for teachers and students
  Azcentral.com is proud to offer a downloadable education companion to our Dia de los Muertos site. Includes a Calavaras mask for coloring.
• Mexican Crafts - Day of the Dead Skull Coloring Pages
  Halloween, Aztec or Mexican Crafts. Free, printable, coloring pages
• Halloween Skull Mask Project - Porkchop | Flickr
  Halloween Skull Mask Project by Porkchop (New Jersey). The Halloween Skull Mask Project is part of the 31 Days of Halloween Madness 2007.
• Printable Skull Mask - Day of the Dead Skull Mask Coloring Page
  Skull mask coloring page for day of the dead crafts, halloween, masquerade, mardi gras or dia del los muertos parties.

Black and Gray Day of the Dead Mask

Day of the Dead Paper Masks Instructions

• Graham Smith Illustration Blog: Art for Dead People
  Making Día de los Muertos decorations is a great do-it-yourself art project. They are fun to make, and since they are made by recycling cardboard, super inexpensive too. These skeleton figures are called calacas and are used as decorations during th
• Halloween Mask Making Tips
  This is a great Mask Making Kids' Party Idea or a quick and easy Halloween Costume for Fun Trick or Treating!
• Day of the Dead Calavera Skull Masks - - Mexico - Monthly Seasonal Crafts - KinderArt
  A popular subject for both Halloween and Mexico's Day of the Dead, is the skeleton. Students can create a day of the dead skull mask using paint, glue, glitter, puffy paint and more!
• Inside Jennifer's 1st Grade Classroom: Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos
  One of my favorite traditions we have at Metz Elementary is celebrating Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos. For the Metz community, Day of the Dead is a very important holiday and we celebrate with school-wide participation.
• Printable Skull Masks
  Skull mask reproducibles from the Mexic-Arte Museum.
• Make Paper Plate Calaveras Masks!
  Like many of my friends and fellow crafty folk, I absolutely adore Halloween but I think I lurve Dia de los Muertos even more! This is the first year in a great many that I was unable to visit Olvera Street in Los Angeles for their Day of the Dead fe
• Paper Skeleton Masks | eHow.com
  Paper Skeleton Masks. Use a plain paper plate to make a skull mask for a Day of the Dead celebration, Halloween costume or theatrical performance. Adorn a solid white plate as desired according to the use for the mask.
• El Dia de los Muertos - Instructions for making Day of the Dead masks
  Instructions for making Day of the Dead masks from a ThinkQuest report.
• Craft: Day of the Dead Masks | ThriftyFun
  Craft: Day of the Dead Masks - Making Day of the Dead masks helps kids have fun and learn about Mexico's traditional celebration!
• How to Draw a Sugar Skull Design, Step by Step, Skulls, Pop Culture, FREE Online Drawing Tutorial, A
  How to Draw a Sugar Skull Design, Skulls, Pop Culture free step-by-step drawing tutorial will teach you in easy-to-draw-steps how to draw "How to Draw a Sugar Skull Design."

Make a Day of the Dead Paper Mache Mask

Finished Paper Mache Masks

Make a Paper Mache Day of the Dead Mask

Paper Mache Masks can be made the simple way, an in between way or the more complicated way.

The simple way is to start with a premade paper mache mask and use this as the base to paint and decorate the finished mask.

The in between way is to use plaster-impregnated strips (like the ones used in orthopedic clinics or emergency rooms) to fashion a mask. These strips dry fairly quickly and can be painted the next day.

The most complicated way involves making traditional paper mache using torn paper and a flour-water paste. This is the least expensive method and a recyclable method since it uses materials most people have around the home. It takes longer to tear up paper strips, longer to mix up the paste and longer to dry.

Any of the methods will work well to give you a beautiful one-of-a-kind Day of the Dead mask.

Finished Paper Mache Masks by Grunenemann. Used under a Creative Commons License.

Making Day of the Dead Masks - Video

Watch the three-day adventure from freebri as friends in Atlanta gather to make paper mache masks for a Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos - party.

Making Day of the Dead Masks - Video

Craft a Day of the Dead Mask

Create a Face Mask

Make a Day of the Dead Mask

Making a unique Day of the Dead Mask can be decorated relatively quickly by starting with a premade paper mache mask.

Paper mache craft masks can be found in craft stores or ordered through Amazon.

Crafting Time

Total Time: 2 - 3 hours, not including drying time

Materials

• Paper Mache Mask
• Acrylic Craft Paint
• Decoupage or Mod Podge
• Hot Glue
• Sticky dots glue spots
• Embellishments - Glitter or rhinestones or gems

Instructions

1. Look for ideas on how to decorate the paper mache mask by looking at Day of the Dead skull mask art.
2. Start by painting the mask with one color (often white) as a base coat.
3. Colorful contrasting colors are used for accents.
4. When done painting let the mask dry.
5. Once dry cover the painted mask with a coat of decoupage medium
6. Add embellishments like glitter, rhinestones or gems.
7. Attach with glue gun or sticky dots.
8. Allow to dry completely.Think of ways to customize your mask with decoupage and other embellishments.

Pre-shaped Paper Mache Masks

Paper Mache Masks

Starting with premade Paper Mache Masks make the process even easier.

White Face Mask

Acrylic Paint Sets

Plaster-impregnated gauze strips

Use Plaster Impregnated Gauze Strips to Make a Mask

A way to make a quick Day of the Dead mask is to start by using plaster impregnated gauze strips.

These are like the plaster strips we used in the emergency department to make casts, so they need to dry quickly enough to get the patient home.

With this technique, you need to make sure the person isn't claustrophobic, or fearful of things on their face.

• 1. Coat the face with vaseline.
• 2. Use plaster impregnated gauze strips dipped in warm water.
• 3. Apply strips to the face, making sure to cross the strips
• 4. Be sure not cover up the nose or mouth.
• 4. Build up several layers.
• 5. Let the strips harden overnight to dry.
• 6. Sand any rough areas.
• 7. Paint and embellish as desired.

How to Make Day of the Dead Masks

• Calaca Sugar Masks
  Calaca Sugar Masks, Whether you are going to a Halloween party or a Day of the Dead party, you'll need a fun mask! Check out your local craft or party store to pick up an inexpensive foundation, then dress up as you see fit!
• Crafty Lady Abby: Skull-A-Day 4.0 - Tutorial - #31: Sugar Skull Mask
  For New Year's Eve, my husband and I are going to a masquerade. I wanted to make a skull mask for him to wear, but I couldn't get him to sit down, so I could make the base to fit him. Instead, I made one for my daughter. This project is messy, requir
• Sugar Skull Mask | Creation | Cut Out + Keep
  Paper Sugar Skull Mask, vintage style. Look for directions in the side bar.
• How to Make a Calavera Mask | eHow.com
  How to Make a Calavera Mask. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November second. Day of the Dead is treated as a time when dead relatives, friends and ancestors return to the land of the living to visit.
• Art Lesson Plan: Paper Mache Masks
  The Incredible Art Department is for art teachers, art students, parents, homeschoolers and artists. IAD includes information on art jobs, art careers, art schools, art education, lesson plans, visual art news, and art resources.

Making Mexican Day of the Dead Masks - Video Series

Magicfitzpatrick takes us through his short four part video tutorial series on How to make Mexican day of the dead masks.

Mexican Day of the Dead Masks 1 - Video

Mexican Day of the Dead Masks 2 - Video

Mexican Day of the Dead Masks 3 - Video

Mexican Day of the Dead Masks 4 - Video

Paper Mache Supplies

Making Paper Mache Mask

A paper mache mask can be made entirely from the start, but takes more time. Be sure to allow time for the paper mache to dry initially as a mask and then once it has been embellished.

1. Creating a Base for the Mask

   The base for the mask can be made directly on the face with paper mache strips or created from different items. Gallon milk cartons, chicken wire wrapped in newspaper, cardboard and paper plates can be use for the base.

2. Paper Mache Paste

   Paper Mache paste can be made by mixing 1 part of flour to two parts of water e.g. 1 cup flour in 2 cups water. The aim is to make the paste more like a thick glue, but not runny. Be sure to mix well to remove any lumps.

   The paper mache paste can be stored for a several days in the refrigerator in a covered container.

3. Layering the Paper

   In order to create the effect of a skull, the eyebrows and cheek bones need to be built up. This can be done by layering paper mache in these areas taking care to keep the layers smooth.

4. Drying the Mask

   Paper mache masks need to be dried after the paper has been applied. Using a hair dryer or putting the mask in a low temperature oven can help speed up the process. Make sure the mask has dried completely before painting.

5. Painting the Mask

   Look at different mask designs to come up with a design for your mask. You might want to combine several ideas from masks, flowers, hearts, crosses, swirls, dots and even webs are incorporated into the Sugar Skull designs.

6. Embellishing the Mask

   To make the mask even more decorative consider adding glitter, rhinestones, feather, gems and other embellishments to the mask.

Making Dia de los Muertos Masks on Flickr

The masks were made as part of the Dia de los Muertos parade at Walkers Point Center for the Arts.

• Dia De Los Muertos Preparations - a set on Flickr
  A behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the first Milwaukee Dia de los Muertos parade at Walkers Point Center for the Arts.

A Colorful Skeleton Mask

More on Day of the Dead and other Halloween Craft Ideas

• Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead
  Although occurring around the same time of the year as Halloween, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, is a very different holiday.
• Costumes for Day of the Dead
  Dressing up like skeletons, in handcrafted costumes, has long been a part of the Die de los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations.
• 3D Skull Cake Recipes
  With a 3D skull cake mold made by Wilton, you can easily create a scary skull cake for your next Halloween or Pirate party.
• Skull Cakes and Skeleton Cupcakes
  Skulls and Skeletons cakes and cupcakes are a fun way to add a bit of scary bones to Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos or any other occasion where skulls and skeletons are found.
• How to Make a Mini Top Hat
  Mini Top Hats, Lolita Hats, Gothic Top Hats, Steampunk Mini Hats, Victorian Mini Top Hats have been popularized lately with movies and fashion trends.
• How to Make Horton Hears a Who Headband Ears
  It's easy to become Horton Hears a Who for Halloween. All you need is a headband, a few pipe cleaners, some blue paper, yarn or a large pom pom and a little imagination you have a Horton Hat.
• How to Make a Pink Clover Who Hat or Pink Clover - Easy Halloween Costumes
  It's easy to become a Who or Horton the Elephant for Halloween. All you need is a few pipe cleaners a large pom pom and a little time. With a few twists and turns you have a pink clover hat.
• Teaching with Skeletons at Halloween
  Skeletons make excellent teaching tools, especially at Halloween. Since my daughters were in Kindergarten and Pre-School I have been going into their classrooms to teach about skeletons.

Do you think you might want to make your own mask?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

© 2011 Kirsti A. Dyer

Comment on Day of the Dead Masks

SteenBiilmann LM on February 06, 2013:

Beautiful AND scary at the same time! Great lens - keep em coming:-)

Kirsti A. Dyer (author) from Northern California on October 05, 2012:

@tfsherman lm: I probably had too many years of anatomy, so skeletons aren't that creepy. Of course I've also been using skeletons to teach at Halloween.

tfsherman lm on October 05, 2012:

What a beautiful lens! Day of the Dead is such a gorgeous take on Halloween -- too bad it still creeps me out. I'm trying to get used to looking at all those skulls, like a nine year old boy looking at pictures of dinosaurs. A lens as artistic as yours is a big help. Thanks!

Peggy Hazelwood from Desert Southwest, U.S.A. on June 10, 2012:

This looks like a fun project if you needed a Day of the Dead mask. Lots of possibilities for dressing it up!

Deadicated LM on June 08, 2012:

I love The Day of the Dead, this Lens any your masks; I recently added a module to my Day of the Dead Lens, it features related Lenses by my fellow lensmasters, I added this lens.

aSwellGuy on May 31, 2012:

Pretty masks.

Stephanie Tietjen from Albuquerque, New Mexico on February 22, 2012:

Day of the Dead is big here in NM. This is an outstanding lens. Wonderful!

TapIn2U on September 15, 2011:

This is so interesting. Sundae ;-)

Melody Lassalle from California on September 14, 2011:

Living in California, I've heard of some of the Day of the Dead festivities. I had no idea so much effort went into making the masks.