La Calavera Catrina (see feature image above) was created by José Guadalupe Posada in 1910 as political commentary criticizing wealthy Mexicans who abandoned their cultural heritage. She has since become a beloved icon of Día de los Muertos. The tradition of face painting as La Catrina is modern, not ancient, yet it represents an important form of cultural expression and celebration participation.

Dig into these rich face painting traditions with your students or kids by printing and coloring together while learning about the origin of this newer tradition as well as the more. Have kids color in the original cartoon by sé Guadalupe Posada (below) or our full Dia de los Muertos Coloring Activity, with background information and explanations about the newer traditions of face painting popularized more recently.