Ceramic Sugar Skull Plates for Dia de los Muertos

(See my “new and improved” version of this project here.)

Dia De Los Muertos (or Day of the Dead, November 1-2) is one of my favorite holidays…. I love the colorful imagery and the focus on honoring loved ones who have died. So when one of my students requested that we do a ‘Sugar Skull’ project in ceramics class, I was all for it! I assumed I could find a plethora of Ceramic Sugar Skull projects online to choose from, but that was not the case!

After searching high and low (and coming up empty-handed), I decided I’d have to create a Ceramic Sugar Skull project myself. I’m still tweaking this one, so be sure to check back for updates! But my students loved making these and were very happy with the results!

You will need (in addition to clay, *kiln, some glazes, and brushes):

foam plates
newspaper (one sheet, approx. 12×12)
pencil, pen, or marker for drawing/tracing template shape
sponge
fettling knife (or a needle tool) for cutting extra clay from your slab
assorted stamps and objects for making impressions and textures in the clay
plastic straw for making a hole for hanging

Directions:

1. Roll out a slab of clay to about 1/4” thick. (You can sprinkle some cornstarch on your mat before rolling to help prevent the clay from sticking.)

2. Lay the slab over a foam plate (these can be used and reused many times). Use a damp sponge to smooth the clay into the shape of the plate.

3. Make a template from another foam plate. (The template can be shared between several students, as each will need it for only a minute.)

To make a template, trace your plate onto a piece of newspaper, cut it out and fold your circle in half. Then draw half of a skull on the fold, and cut. Open your paper, trace the skull outline onto a foam plate and cut away the two side sections.