How to Draw a Decorated Calavera
DĂa de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an important holiday in Mexico. Many families use this time to remember loved ones.
A calavera is an art skull decorated with bright colors and joyful patterns. You can make your own calavera drawing on paper.
Materials:
- One sheet of plain white paper
- One pencil with an eraser
- Bright crayons or markers
Directions:
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Draw a large circle near the top of your paper with your pencil. Add a smaller square shape right under the circle to make the jaw.
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Draw two large circles inside the face for the eyes. Draw a small upside-down triangle in the center for the nose.
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Draw a flat line across the jaw. Add short straight lines across it to make a row of teeth.
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Draw flower petals around both eye circles. Try to make both sides match. When both sides match, it is called symmetry.
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Add dots, loops, and curved lines on the forehead and cheeks. Keep your shapes matching on the left and right sides.
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Color your calavera with your favorite bright markers or crayons. Fill in the flowers and patterns to finish your artwork.
- holiday:
- A special day when people celebrate something important.
- calavera:
- A decorated skull used in art for Day of the Dead.
- patterns:
- Designs or shapes that repeat in a special order.
- symmetry:
- Having both sides match each other.
- artwork:
- A creative piece made by an artist, like a drawing.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What holiday is celebrated in Mexico where families remember loved ones?
- 2What is a calavera?
About this how-to / procedural passage for Lower Elementary
âHow to Draw a Decorated Calaveraâ is a how-to / procedural reading passage about Calavera Art, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (199 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.