Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

What do Day of the Dead face painting designs mean?

A mixture of Aztec and European symbolism explain the meaning of Dia de los Muertos face painting designs. The Day of the Dead tradition is a mixture of Catholic beliefs with the religions of indigenous Mexican people.

The most common design for Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead), is to paint the face to resemble a skull. For people not familiar with Latin American culture and the celebration of the day of the dead, this might seem strange and even scary. However, the skull has a uniquely positive meaning in Dia de los Muertos, very different from the skeletons and ghosts of Halloween.

Dia De Los Muertos faces painted by Tracy Kiggen of ARTovator.

Symbols in Day of the Dead face-painting

Skulls – known as calaveras orcalacas in Mexico – are an essential part of the symbolism of Dia de los Muertos in mexico. They are used not only as the basis for painting faces, but also are the shape of candy such as sugar skulls and for many skeleton-inspired decorations.

The day of the dead in Mexico is a fascinating mixture of Spanish Catholic and native Aztec traditions and beliefs. Skulls and skeletons were an important part of All Saints Day festivals in medieval Europe, especially since the Black Death ravaged the population of Europe in the 1300s. Across Europe artists, playwrights and poets mused on the theme of 'memento mori' (remember death) and the 'dance of the dead'. Many artworks and books from the time depict dancing skeletons, or portraits with a skull to 'remember death'.

At the same time, in Mexico, the Aztec culture believed life on earth to be something of an illusion – death was a positive step forward into a higher level of conscience. For the Aztecs skulls were a positive symbol, not only of death but also of rebirth.

People in Mexico wear traditional skull masks, and the tradition of painting faces to look like a skull has grown up as a variation to this. The wearing of masks has been a powerful symbol throughout traditional cultures, of the ability of humans to get in touch with their darker, chaotic side. Face-painting as skulls is a chance to overcome fear of death, act recklessly and get up to the mischief that is forbidden at other times of the year!

Flowers are also symbolically important part of day of the dead. Many face-painting designs of skulls incorporate flowers, and this symbol has a meaning of its own. The flower most associated with Dia de los Muertos in Mexico is the marigold, or Cempazúchitl which is known as the flower of the dead. In Aztec belief the marigold was sacred to Mictlantecuhtli, their god of the dead. According to Mexican belief, the souls of departed family and friends return to earth on the day of the dead, and it is believed the strong scent of marigold helps to guide them back.

Flowers are often incorporated into Dia de los Muertos face-painting skull designs (and tattoos for that matter). This mixing of the skull, associated with death with flowers, a symbol in western culture associated with life and love, may seem strange to some. However, the meaning of el Dia de los Muertos face-painting is not only to remember the dead, but also to overcome the fear of death and celebrate life! 

Face Painting with Love! Professional face painter serving all of Orange County: Irvine, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Coto de Caza, San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, Dana Point, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, RSM, Portola, Mission Viejo, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Lake Forest, Nellie Gail, Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Villa Park, Orange, Seal Beach, Westminster, Fullerton, 949, 714, 562, 657.

www.ARTovator.com

949.357.0557

#dayofthedead #facepainting #Halloween #facepainter #artovator #orangecounty #tracykiggen #irvine #costamesa #newportbeach #alisoviejo #missionviejo #lakeforest #trabuco #cotodecaza #danapoint #lagunaniguel #coronadelmar #lagunabeach #huntingtonbeach #fullerton #westminster orange county, face painter orange county,  lake forest, california, weddings, artavator, artivator, artovador, artivador, tracy kiggen, tracy the face painter, face painter, face painting, party, children, entertainment, parties, artist, kobe bryant, couture, arty, rebecca, sara, paramount pictures, contemporary, school event, school function, art party, kids, irvine, mission viejo, aliso viejo, santa ana, costa mesa, laguna niguel, dana point, san juan capistrano, laguna beach, huntington beach, newport beach, tustin, garden grove, anaheim, fullerton, chino, ladera ranch, orange, pomona, rose bowl, belly painting, baby shower, birthday entertainer, party entertainers, birthday party, children party, party idea, private party, birthday party planning, halloween parties, childrens party, kids parties, childrens parties, frozen, holiday parties, company party, functions, princess party, party stuff, children s parties, clown face paint, pirate birthday party, kid party, kid party idea, planning a birthday party, tea party birthday, childrens entertainers, circus party, pony party, childrens birthday, face painter for childrens, face painting for childrens, girls birthday parties, facepaint, silly farm, sillyfarm, fun parties, party parties, children party, facepainting party, face paints, face painting for kids, face painting images, face and body painting, childrens kids, party entertainers, entertainers for childrens parties, gold face paint, skull face painting, paintings of faces, faces to paint, face painting for boys, sport face paint, face painting art, clowns painting, silver face paint, best face paint, facepainters, cool face paint designs, tribal face painting, face paint kids, vampire face painting, mouse face paint, mime face painting, spiderman face painting, face painting animals, face painting lion, face painting butterfly, face painting fairy, tiger face painting, palisades, Face Painter So.Cal, Torrance, Santa Monica, South Bay, Lakewood, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, orange county, Face Painting Services, All of Orange County, Southern California, Monrovia, Montclare, San Dimas, La Verne, Chino Hills, All of Southern California, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, face painting classes, so cal, so cal face painter, face painter so cal, face painter, Glitter tattoos, temp tattoos, Face Painter So Cal, Face Painting Southern, lake forrest, Directory of Southern California Face Painters, Orange County body painting, belly painting, face painting southern california, childrens parties, corporate events, childrens party, face painter, Newport Coast, Crystal Cove, Turtle Ridge, Capistrano Beach, San Clemente, Redondo Beach, Brentwood, Malibu, Whittier, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Surfside, Sunset Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, Foothill Ranch, Coto de Caza, Dove Canyon, Las Flores, Laguna Hills, Portola, Corona del Mar, Emerald Bay, So. Cal Face Painter, www.socalfaba.com, Southern California Directory, henna, halloween, fantasy, faces, fantasy fiesta, face formers, glimmer, art, gigmasters, airbrush art, airbrush, Henna, mark reid, pashur, faceformers, arty brush, los angeles, the valley, san fernando, woodland hills, hollywood, santa monica, venice, marina del rey, burbank, north hollywood, encino, sherman oaks, calabasas, reseda, beverly hills, malibu, pacific palisades, san diego, canoga park, chatsworth, 949, 714, 323, 626, 657, 92630, 92677, 92656, 92698, 92801, 92802, 92803, 92804, 92806, 92805, 92807, 92808, 92809, 92812, 92811, 92821, 92822, 92823, 90620, 90622, 90624, 92624, 92625, 92626, 92627, 92628, 90630, 92629, 92650, 92609, 92610, 92708, 92728, 92831, 92832, 92833, 92834, 92835, 92836, 92837, 92838, 92840, 92841, 92842, 92843, 92844, 92845, 92846, 92605, 92615, 92646, 92647, 92648, 92649, 92602, 92603, 92604, 92606, 92612, 92614, 92618, 92619, 92620, 92623, 92697, 92709, 92710, 90631, 90632, 90633, 90623, 92694, 92651, 92652, 92607, 92690, 92691, 92692, 92688, 92672, 92674, 92675, 92693, 92678, 92679, 92780, 92781, 92782, 92658, 92659, 92660, 92661, 92662, 92663, 92657, 619, 562, 818, 310, 213, #facepainter, #facepainting, #949, #party, #orangecounty, #hireafacepainter