DMC- 55 rue de Pfastatt
68200 Mulhouse
France
Sugar Skull Cat – Custom Color
This Sugar Skull Cat is an original handcrafted art piece made in our little workshop in France. The design was inspired by Mexican Dia de los Muertos and by the character of La Catrina. This sweet little kitty will make a wonderful addition to any room or office! Choose up.
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Description
This Sugar Skull Cat is an original handcrafted art piece made in our little workshop in France. The design was inspired by Mexican Dia de los Muertos and by the character of La Catrina. This sweet little kitty will make a wonderful addition to any room or office!
Choose up to 6 colors, and get your customized sculpture with a unique color scheme.
Comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Product features:
• Custom colors available upon request
• Original, unique handpainted artwork
• Acrylic Resin sculpture
• Handmade in France
• Size : 7cm wide x 14cm tall x 8cm deep
Additional information
| Ref. | 0,6 |
|---|
| Weight | 0,6 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8 × 7 × 14 cm |
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Significance in Mexican Culture
Sugar skulls, known in Spanish as Calavera de Azúcar, are a traditional part of Mexican culture. They are often used to decorate altars and graves during the Day of the Dead holiday, also known as Día de Los Muertos.
Día de Los Muertos is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have died. Families decorate altars with photos, flowers, candles, and favorite foods of the deceased. They also make sugar skulls to place on altars that represent the loved one’s spirit.
Sugar skulls represent the departed souls of loved ones and are meant to help guide them on their journey to the afterlife. The skulls are decorated with bright colors and often have intricate designs. Many people also write the name of the deceased on the forehead of the skull.
Though mostly made from sugar, these skulls are not meant to be eaten! Doing so would be considered extremely disrespectful.
Significance of the Design and Colors
Designs & Decorations
The decorations on sugar skulls can vary, but they often represent aspects of the deceased person’s life. For example, a skull with a beard might represent a grandfather, while one with braided hair might represent a young girl.
Additionally, they are often decorated with personal belongings or keepsakes such as jewelry. These items are meant to represent the hobbies or interests of the deceased. Other decorative elements include things like colored foil, gems, and royal icing for patterns and colors.
You’ll also notice that the eyes and mouth are emphasized in the design. The eyes are often surrounded with colorful shapes that resemble petals, hearts or dots. The mouth typically shows teeth and is often open wide in a smiling expression.
This design is not accidental; it’s meant to represent the connection between the living and the dead. The eyes are a gateway to the soul, while the mouth is a symbol of communication.
No matter how they are decorated, the end result should be a fun, personal design that serves to honor the person the skull was created for!
Colors
The colors used on sugar skulls are also significant. Keep in mind that sugar skulls are created to represent unique individuals and are very personal by design. That means the colors chosen in the design of the skull can be for many different reasons.
For example, the color orange on a sugar skull generally symbolizes the light from the sun, but it could also be used because it was the favorite color of the loved one that it represents.
Keeping that in mind, here are some of the traditional colors used in the design of sugar skulls and during the celebration of Día de Los Muertos.
Red
Red symbolizes blood and life. Blood is the source of life and is essential for survival, and red on a sugar skull celebrates its significance in a very literal way. Religious or Christian families celebrating Day of the Dead can also use red to represent the blood of Christ.
Yellow
Yellow symbolizes light and happiness and is also the color of marigolds, a traditional flower used in Day of the Dead celebrations. Marigold petals are often placed in a trail starting at the entrance to the house and leading to an altar or “ofrenda”.
The idea behind an ofrenda is to create a space where the dead can feel welcome and comfortable. An ofrenda typically includes pictures of the deceased, as well as items that were important to them in life.
Other items placed on the altar include food, flowers, and candles. By creating an altar and making offerings, it is believed that the dead will be able to visit their loved ones in the spirit world.
Orange
Similar to yellow, the color orange symbolizes light. This can be interpreted as the orange light of the sun or as a particular shade of marigolds. Whether orange represents the sun or a trail of orange marigolds, the overall symbolism is still to light the way to the altars to help the deceased find them and join their family in celebration.
Pink
Pink represents joy and hope, and is seen often in skull makeup, clothing and accessories worn in Day of the Dead celebrations.
Purple
A stark contrast to pink, purple symbolizes pain and mourning. It is used to decorate skulls that represent loved ones who have suffered a tragedy or passed away suddenly. Purple candles are often lit and placed on altars for the deceased.
Black
Like much of the world, black symbolizes death but can also be used as a base color on the white sugar skulls to make other colors pop and become more noticeable.
White
White symbolizes purity and innocence. It is also used as the primary base color in skull makeup, in which other colors are layered on top for the actual design.
How to Make Sugar Skulls
Sugar skulls are typically made from of a type of sugar called piloncillo. To make the sugar into a skull shape, it is first melted and then poured into a mold. Once it has hardened, the sugar skull is ready to decorate!
Remember, these are intended to be used as decorations or as part of an altar, not as food. As such, they are not edible sugar skulls.
Sugar skulls can last for years if stored properly. They should be kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If you’re planning on displaying them on an altar long-term, it’s a good idea to put them in a covered box or container to protect them from the elements.
The core ingredients needed to make sugar skulls are:
- Royal icing
- Food coloring
- Meringue powder
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Sugar skull mold
- Parchment paper and cardboard
If you’re interested in making your own, check out one of our favorite sugar skull molds on Amazon. These can be hard to find locally, but craft stores such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby occasionally have these in stock.
Ready to start? Here’s a great video from Denver Botanic Gardens on the full process.
