Easy Day of the Dead Decorations DIY Painted Skull

To give this skull a Day of the Dead celebration makeover, you only need paint. 

This paintable skull had ready-made details to paint. If you start with a plain skull, you could do all sorts of mixed-media crafts. With fine-tip markers, cards, tissue paper or silk flowers.

Or you can use a glue gun, air-dry clay or paper mache to embellish the skull first before painting. Or even velvet, like for this black skull.

Step 1: Paint the Base of the Day of the Dead Skull

Bold colours are encouraged when it comes to painting Day of the Dead skulls. This base was painted with two coats of Peony chalk paint. A great hot pink which creates an instant pop of colour.

All of the colours have a particular meaning when it comes to the Day of the Dead. Pink represents the joy you feel whenever you think of your loved one’s life and how much they mean to you. 

Pink to find the positives of celebrating someone’s life. The perfect colour to have as the main colour of the skull. Rather than the central focus being sadness.

Step 2: ​Paint in the Decorative Details of the Skull

Once the base is dry, you can paint in the details. If painting your own designs, you can use traditional Mexican patterns, flowers, or geometric shapes. Be creative and have as much fun as you want with it.

The details were painted with Cucumber Ice on the eyes and Amethyst around the eyes. Then the bright blue, Peacock for the mouth and sunny Daisy for the eyebrow area.

Fine detail brushes are a great thing for painting in small details like the dots. Between the straight edge brush or one with a tapered point, it makes a huge difference to getting a clean painted edge.

For extra craft ideas, you can add colourful paper flowers from crepe paper or construction paper to create vibrant flowers that represent the Mexican marigold. Which a traditional flower used in Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

Step 3: Seal the Painted Skull

The last step for these Dia de los Muertos crafts is to seal the paint. This ensures that they won’t get scratched or chipped. And will stay in good condition for next year’s traditional Mexican holiday.

You can seal this painted skull with two coats of Satin Clear Coat. The finish of the skull can be matte or glossy, depending on your preference. For a medium sheen, a Satin finish is the perfect sealant.

The Joy of Creating Day of the Dead Decorations

Crafting your own sugar skull is not just an arts and crafts project; it’s a way to honour the Mexican culture and traditions that are held dear to the heart of different celebrations. 

Additionally, crafting a fun Day of the Dead decoration is a great way to introduce younger kids to the traditions and values of this holiday. Encourage them to design cute sugar skulls. It’s a fun, activity but one that can also be educational.

Crafting colourful sugar skulls for Day of the Dead celebrations is a lovely way to immerse yourself in the traditions of Mexican culture. 

You might display the skulls with items like favourite foods, photos of deceased family members, and other personal mementoes. Or use your painted skulls as table centrepieces or create a Day of the Dead wreath to hang on your front door. 

Shadow boxes can be a beautiful way to do so. Your sugar skull becomes a precious keepsake, much like the colourful sugar skulls you’d find at Mexican celebrations.