Master the Art of Sugar Skull Face Painting: Two Stunning Variations in One Design

Originally taught by Dutch Bihary in our Monday webinar series

Sugar skulls are one of those magical designs that face painters can't really get wrong – but that doesn't mean we can't make them extraordinary. In this tutorial, master artist Dutch Bihary demonstrates how to create two completely different sugar skull variations on one face, giving you double the techniques to add to your repertoire.

Why Sugar Skulls Never Go Out of Style

Whether you're painting for Día de los Muertos celebrations, Halloween events, or just because someone wants something striking, sugar skulls offer endless creative possibilities. As Dutch says, "You kinda can't do them wrong" – but with the right techniques, you can definitely do them right.

The Two-Face Approach: Traditional Meets Modern

Side 1: The Realistic Carved Skull

For the more detailed side, Dutch creates an illusion of an engraved skull using layering techniques:

Base Layer Magic:

• Start with yellow ochre as your foundation (Face Paints Australia makes a great one)
• Layer white highlights with a dry sponge to bring out the bone structure
• Focus on the temple ridge and jaw to create dimension

Creating the Carved Effect:

1. Use a #6 round brush with saddle brown to map out your design elements
2. Add white to the bottom edges of brown designs for dimension
3. Follow with dark chocolate (the darkest brown in your flesh tone palette) for deep shadows
4. This creates the illusion of carved scrollwork in the skull

Pro Tip: "By painting white over existing colors, it naturally mutes and creates a more realistic bone appearance," Dutch explains.

Side 2: Traditional Sugar Skull with a Twist

The second side showcases a more traditional approach with Dutch's signature tattoo-inspired elements:

Color Foundation:

• Use a 3/4" flat brush loaded with pink
• Dab one edge in dark magenta for instant depth
• Apply color to mimic bone structure without perfect precision – "it can be wispy, in fact, it's kinda pretty if it is"

The Tattoo-Style Web Detail: This is where Dutch's background in tattoo artistry shines:

1. Lay down robin's egg blue lines radiating from key points
2. Create classic spider web patterns between the lines
3. Retrace with black, slightly offset for a shadow effect
4. "It fills space without disturbing the design," Dutch notes

Essential Techniques for Both Styles

The Classic Zombie Bite Teeth

Dutch uses the "old classic Patsur House zombie bite tooth stamp" technique:

• Quick, effective, and universally recognized
• Paint white over base colors for natural muting
• Outline with thin black lines for definition

Managing Your Design Space

"Sugar skulls can get really busy really fast," Dutch warns. The key is knowing when to stop:

• Use filigree sparingly for maximum impact
• Balance detailed areas with negative space
• Let each element breathe

Photography Tips for Stunning Results

Want your sugar skulls to photograph as amazing as they look in person? Dutch shares his pro photography secrets:

1. Distance is key: Stand back and zoom in rather than getting close
2. Always use flash: This captures your painted shadows, not ambient ones
3. Override ambient light: Flash forces the camera to see the dimension you've created

"All of these shadows and highlights that I've created to give you the impression of depth will be overwritten by natural ambient light without flash," Dutch explains.

Materials Used

• Paints: Primarily Face Paints Australia (distributed by Looney Bin)
• Brushes: #6 round, #1 liner, 3/4" flat, #2 (7/9/7 for longer working time)
• Key Colors: Yellow ochre, saddle brown, dark chocolate, white, black, pink, magenta, robin's egg blue

Take Your Skills Further

This tutorial is just one example of the free educational content we provide every Monday through our webinar series. Whether you're perfecting your sugar skulls or exploring new techniques, our community of professional artists is here to support your growth.

Final Thoughts from Dutch

"Anything I share via live stream is yours to use and adapt," Dutch generously reminds us. That's the spirit of our face painting community – professionals helping each other grow and succeed.

Remember, sugar skulls are incredibly forgiving designs, but with these techniques, you can elevate them from good to absolutely stunning. As Dutch's experience at that 2013 Florida convention showed us, when everyone's painting sugar skulls, it's the details and personal style that make yours stand out.

Want to catch our live tutorials? Join us every Monday for free webinars featuring top artists from around the world. Visit Facepaint.com for our complete schedule and to stock up on professional-grade supplies with our flat-rate shipping.

Have you tried these techniques? Share your sugar skull creations with us on social media using #FacepaintDotCom!