Crafts of Dia de los Muertos
By Sylvie DeLorn
If there was one lesson that stuck within the numerous hours spent trying to learn a foreign language, it was that the most important thing to learn is about the culture. That's why this month's theme hit as a highlight for the holiday season (as well as a slight element changer). Now, don't get me wrong, the permanent population of one in the SOUP's arts and crafts corner enjoys culture as much as a travel journalist but the transition from studying French on a regular basis onto a Mexican theme is causing whiplash right now.
Disregarding all of that, this month's craft is one of both beauty and spite. (That's right, I'm looking at the adult figures that told me this would never be a true career.) We'll be taking a look into the steps taken to replicate the famous sugar skull makeup style. So get your brushes, colors, and mirrors ready to walk through a makeup craft this month.
This should be a white cream color and applied all around the face, leaving a gap around the eyes. This area will be filled with black at a later time. A brand that won't dry or crack is highly advised.
Begin adding black in large circles around you eyes as well as in an upside-down heart formation on your nose, mimicking that of the nasal cavity. After the paint has been applied, set both with a matte black eyeshadow.
With the color of your choice, begin applying eyeshadow around the black circles on your eyes. I'd suggest first putting a darker version of your color directly against the black and add a lighter color against the darker shade. After that, blend the two together to create a gradient.
Against your own lips while using your choice of face paints, or eyeliner in either liquid or gel form, begin drawing teeth. These don't have to be too detailed in every form, just simple squares can work for the time being.
You'll be adding these around your eye circles. If you wish to also add them around the nose area or the teeth outlines, you may. Now would be the best time to fill in those around your eyes if you wish to add little rhinestones in later and don't wish to hassle with gaps.
This is where you'll begin coloring in those which are still empty inside. You'll want to color these in with a color that goes with the one you've chosen earlier, preferably a complementary (directly across the color wheel) or any other kind of color scheme you wish.
This step you get even more creative license to do as you wish. Using black face paint, or your choice of either liquid or gel liner you can add any kind of details you wish. Some traditional decorative items you can consider adding would be diamonds or spiderwebs. Overall, it's your decision on what to put on your face here. You can even shade and add colors if you wish.
Here you'll begin contouring your face, but instead of using normal colors such as brown for this, you'll have the ability to use bright and fun colors. You'll need a total of three of them and begin with the darker on the bottom of your cheekbone (like dark violet), then blend in a lighter color below that (like fushia), and finally blend the lightest color below that one (like pink).
If you haven't already in the previous step, then take this time to decorate your forehead using the same brush and paints that you've been for the details earlier. As before, you can add colors or shade as you desire.
Adding gems in this step is relatively easy if not time consuming. You'll need a pair of small tweezers to accomplish this. Pick out the gems that you wish and add a small amount of lash glue on the back of them, something that is safe to place on skin. Hold the gem in place where you wish for it to be until it dries and then continue on with the rest of them.
After everything has dried up dust it with a translucent powder and apply with a cinematic setting spray.
Voila, you've completed the make up and can now flaunt it all around town.
Or just stay in to admire it as long as you want.
With that, I bid you all farewell and enjoy your spooky evenings.
Happy Crafting Slytherins,
Slyvie