Sugar Skull Sketching & Painting Tutorial
Marigolds & Memories: A Sugar Skull in Pen and Watercolor
This sugar skull is blooming with personality! With blue flower eyes, playful hearts, golden-orange marigolds, and a bright red rose, our pen-and-watercolor painting brings together bold details and lovely, loose washes.
We begin with a light pencil sketch, then use waterproof black pen, I like Sharpie pen, add the outlines and decorations. Next comes the colorful fun: sunny yellows and oranges for the marigolds, rich red for the rose, and splashes of greens and red. Leaving much of the skull white helps those colors shine!
The marigolds also carry special meaning. In Mexico’s Día de los Muertos, a celebration honoring loved ones who have died, marigolds—known as cempasúchil—decorate remembrance altars called ofrendas and graves. Their vibrant colors and distinctive scent are traditionally believed to help guide loved ones’ spirits home. Petals are often arranged into welcoming paths.
As you paint, consider adding a favorite color, a little heart, or a pattern that reminds you of someone special. It’s a beautiful way to make your artwork personal.
And remember: your petals don’t need to be perfect, and your patterns don’t need to match exactly. Let the watercolor wander a little—this painting has plenty of room for your own creative spirit!
Supplies:
Pencil
Sharpie / waterproof black pen
Template
Tape to tape down template
Watercolor paper
Paint brushes, various sizes
Watercolor paint
Cup of water
Towel
Template:
Watch video here:
Have so much fun painting!
Comments