1. Artist Book or Maquette
Dia de los Meurtos - Dedication to the deceased.
#2 Maquette scene
Created by Jack Alexander 2010
#1 Altered Book
Created by Karissa Canonizado, 2009

2. Days of the Dead -
Dedication & Sculpture
1. Dedicated to
someone or a pet
that has passed
away - family,
friends, or celebrity.
2. Create either a
maquette or altered
book to represent
person.
Maquette Book

3. •Celebrated October 31st
through November 2nd.
•Corresponds with All Saints
Day and All Souls Day,
traditional Catholic
celebrations.
What is “Days of the Dead or
Dia de los Muerto’s?”

4. Joyous and sacred time
Welcome the souls of the dead.
Triumph over death and becomes a celebration of life.
IT’S A CELEBRATION!

5. The dead come as spirits from
another world to be with their
living relations
Not to scare or haunt as
Halloween

6. Days of the Dead: MEXICO
•Celebrated in many Latin American countries.
•National holiday in Mexico.

7. November first is for the departed children, los angelitos.

8. November second is for the departed adults.

9. • Although the Day of the Dead
in Mexico has a public aspect,
at the community level it is
essentially a private or family
feast.
• The core of the celebration is
within the family home.
• A way of recognizing the cycle
of life and death that is human
existence.
A woman spreading
cempasúchil in her house to
welcome her ancestors home.

10. Ancestor and Community
Allows people to talk about death and even finds
humor in death.
In this way Death loses some of its terror. These are
all positive concepts.
Love and Respect for the Dead and For Life.

11. Option #1: 3D Altered Book
Artist Book:
a three dimensional form
that will fit in a bookshelf
and be able to be held in
the hand, and “read”
visually using opened visual
images, written images, or a
combination of the two.

12. Keep in mind...
• As with any work of art,
you will be using the
elements and principles of
art/design to construct
your book.
• ie. line, shape, space, form,
texture, balance, contrast,
proportion, color, value,
emphasis, variety, harmony,
unity, and movement

13. • Goal:To explore three dimensional form, push
the envelope in thinking about what is a book
gain insight into using words and visual images.

14. • The book should be completed no later than
October 2nd for full credit.
• The books will be juried with the strongest pieces
displayed in the gallery.

15. Some Inspiration!

19. • How do you
represent
someone?
• Career, interests,
hobbies, family?

22. • Artists may make
“regular” artist
books- altered,
accordion, crisscross,
tunnel, pop ups or
may take an more
sculptural approach
and bring in an
interesting container
form and transform it
into a reliquary/book.

31. • Again there are endless
possibilities with this.
• Think of how you can
create a unifying style
or theme rather than
random pages and
items.
Top: Rhea Vera, 2009 Bottom: Rochelle Cortez, 2009

32. Option 2:
Maquette Scene
1. Using self-
drying clay
sculpt the
person or
animal
2. Create a
scene using
box or
platform.

33. Guess who
this is
dedicated to?

34. Family Wake
Mexico mourning salon, wood frame with multimedia construction. Family wake
with Mommy, Daddy, Auntie and chivo around coffin, with religious and razor
blade paintings and sun motif on the walls
Text
Here’s some other examples!

35. For the figures you wi! want to make a wire armature.

40. Project Options and Requirements
1. Create at least ONE character in dedication to
someone or some living thing that passed away.

41. Adding details and design
Think about what is
significant within the
deceased person/thing’s life?
How can you represent
this?
Flowers, clothing,
objects, or location?

42. Think about how you could
"ame your piece?
-Cut paper?
-Old book pages?
-Layering paper?
-Using household objects like
shown here with the
lightbulb socket.

43. Could you make the clothing?
Or find do! clothing or furniture?

44. Is there a scene you could portray?
You can build the
characters on a
platform piece of
would as shown
on the le$

45. What does the scenery and accessories te! you about
the individuals portrayed in these examples?

47. How can you make yours
unique and eye-catching?
-facial expressions?
-lights?

49. Again, think about a! the
possible details and creating
an environment around the
characters.

50. Try to create a
character no larger
than 6 inches in
height or width!

51. Could you make it into a
diorama using a box?

60. Remember....details and cra$smanship wi! make your
dedication complete and wi! accurately honor & represent
the deceased.

61. Student Gallery Exhibition 2012
Dedication and Honor - Dia de Los Muertos
10/30/12-11/5/12
Your piece could be featured in the art show!

62. For Friday, Sept. 6th
• You must come with an idea on what your book will be
based on. Please write down 5 of your ideas. Include any
materials you think you will be using or perhaps needed.
• Sketch your ideas in your sketchbook using the medium of
your choice (pen, pencil, colored markers, etc).
• Remember part of being an artist is that your work has a
concept and it is portrayed through your product.
Sometimes the idea is obvious and other times it is a
mystery.

63. • Artist Feature for Day 2

64. Dan Eldon