Make a Day of the Dead Skull

For this project you will need: wheat paste and plastic dishpan to mix it, 9" balloons, Vaseline®, newspapers, paint brushes, acrylic paint, glue. Optional: glitter, sequins, ribbons, paper flowers, etc.


Getting Ready:
Rip newspapers into long strips.
Mix wheat paste according to package directions.
Inflate balloons and cover with Vaseline®.
Making Your Skull:
Dip each newspaper strip separately into the wheat paste, holding both ends of the paper. Lay the strips over the balloon smoothly. Make sure they overlap. Build up two or three layers of newspaper over the entire balloon. Smooth out each layer.
Dip several strips of newspaper into the paste. Wad them into three balls. Place the balls on the face of the skull to make cheekbones and a chin. Hold the balls in place with more pasted strips. Set the skull aside for several days to dry.
When your skull is completely dry, prick it with a pin to pop the balloon inside. Paint it with two white base coats to cover the black newsprint. Now paint over the base coats with a bright color. Set aside to dry.
Now let your imagination and paint brush run wild! Paint your skull with bright flowers, trailing vines, and leaves. The more colorful, the better! Let it dry, then seal (paint) the skull with a mixture of glue and water to protect it.
When your skull has dried, add glitter, sequins, and other decorations to make it as festive as possible. If you use glitter, seal it with glue and water to keep it from flaking off.