Day of the Dead Coloring Pages – 32 Marigold Altars and Sugar Skulls

Every year on November 1 and 2, families in Mexico welcome their loved ones back with candles, flowers, and the foods those people enjoyed most. These 32 coloring pages follow that celebration, from a three level ofrenda and a path of marigold petals to sugar skulls, alebrijes, and monarch butterflies. The mood is warm and festive, never scary. Start with a big orange flower or go for a detailed altar, and color it any way you like.

Browse the 32 Free Day of the Dead Coloring Pages

All 32 Day of the Dead coloring pages are free and printable. Click any picture to open the PDF, which is sized for A4 paper. The sheets range from very easy designs with one large flower or loaf of bread to detailed altars, Catrinas, and patterns for older kids and adults.

The Ofrenda

Marigold Altar with Sugar Skulls

A three-tier ofrenda with an empty photo frame on top, two sugar skulls flanking a pan de muerto loaf, and seven candles among marigold blossoms. Two papel picado banners hang above, and lacy cutout cloths edge each shelf. This one is detailed, so the small petals and cutout patterns need a fine pencil.

Grandmother’s Photo on the Ofrenda

A smiling grandmother in an oval scalloped frame looks down over a small altar table. Below her sit a glass of water, a pan de muerto loaf on a lace doily, a dripping candle and three marigolds. The embroidered flowers on her blouse are small, so the collar is the fiddliest part.

Family Photo Ofrenda with Marigold Arch

Three framed portraits (a grandmother, a mustached man and a boy) sit on a tiered altar under an arch of round marigolds. Seven candles, two sugar skulls, a bread loaf and a fruit bowl with bananas fill the shelves. A papel picado banner hangs above.

Girl and Puppy on the Marigold Path

A braided girl with marigolds in her hair carries a basket holding a candle, a sugar skull and a bread loaf toward an adobe house. A puppy in a flower collar trots beside her, and loose petals and blossoms trail up to the arched door. The scalloped collar and the embroidered skirt hold the smallest patterns.

Guitar and Hat Memorial Table

A classical guitar leans on a wooden table beside a brimmed hat, a pan de muerto on a plate, a patterned coffee mug and two lit candles. A vase of six marigolds sits at the back, and a wall shelf above holds a sugar skull and a small flower pot. The cut-paper lace along the table edge has the finest detail.

Grandmother and Girl Placing a Candle

A grandmother with a hair bun rests her hands on a braided girl’s shoulders as the girl sets a candle on a stepped altar. Two sugar skulls, a pan de muerto, a framed portrait of a mustached man and two vases of marigolds surround them. Flower-embroidered dresses and the cut-paper cloths on each step carry the finest detail.

Flowers and Food

Marigold Bouquet with Papel Picado

Four ruffled marigold blooms and three closed buds are tied with a big bow, with serrated leaves fanning out around them. Two cut-paper banners hang above the bouquet, one with a daisy-like flower and hearts and one with a sugar skull. The layered petals make this a detailed sheet, so a fine pencil works better than a thick marker.

Pan de Muerto with Steaming Mug

A large pan de muerto with bone-shaped strips sits on a leaf-patterned plate next to two orange slices and a steaming flower-decorated mug. Three papel picado banners hang above. The bread and plate are big, open shapes, so this sheet suits a thick marker.

Grandmother and Girl Baking Pan de Muerto

In a kitchen with a domed clay oven, a smiling grandmother shapes a round loaf while a braided girl with a flower in her hair carries a baking tray with a second loaf. A vase of marigolds, two sugar skulls, two candles and an embroidered cloth fill the table. The embroidered blouses and skull patterns are fine work, while the loaves and oven are large, easy areas.

Three Sugar Skulls on a Lace-Edged Plate

Three round, smiling sugar skulls with flower-shaped eye sockets and swirl patterns are stacked on a scalloped plate, with a ruffled marigold and leaves in front. A string of three papel picado flags with flowers and hearts hangs above. One fact about the subject: the dense swirls on the skulls are fine work, so sharp pencils suit them better than markers.

Papel Picado Banners over a Sugar Skull Altar

Four cut-paper banners with a flower, a dove, a butterfly and a heart hang above an arched courtyard. On the table below, a sugar skull sits between a vase of marigolds, three candles and a pan de muerto on a patterned plate. The banners and tablecloth have fine lace-like cutouts, so sharp pencils work well there.

Tamales and Hot Chocolate Table

A wooden table holds a platter of four corn-husk tamales tied with string, a steaming clay pot with a ladle, and two patterned mugs. A pan de muerto, a vase of three marigolds and a window with clouds fill the scene. The scalloped lace cloth is the most detailed area.

Alebrijes and Animal Spirits

Winged Jaguar Alebrije with Marigolds

A grinning alebrije jaguar stands in a three-quarter view with two large butterfly wings on its back and a feathery plume of a tail. Its body is covered in circles and spirals, and two ruffled marigolds with leaves sit at its feet. The wings’ open ovals suit bold colors, while the small circles and spirals call for a fine tip.

Alebrije Parade in a Marigold Courtyard

Three winged alebrije creatures, a horned dragon, a fish-faced rooster and an armadillo-like beast, walk across a sunny courtyard. Three lit candles, a pan de muerto on a plate and clusters of marigolds frame the bottom, with a tiled roof and arched door behind. Spirals, dots and flower patterns cover each body, so the larger wings and the plain sky are easier than the small circles.

Monarch Butterfly on a Marigold

A monarch butterfly with wings spread wide perches on a big ruffled marigold, seen from the front, with two clouds above and a pair of serrated leaves below. Rings of small oval cells edge the wings. The large flower petals are easy to fill, but the dotted wing borders need a sharp tip.

Xoloitzcuintle with Marigold Garland and Candles

A hairless Xoloitzcuintle sits upright facing forward, with tall pointed ears and a garland of five ruffled marigolds around its neck. Two dripping candles with teardrop flames stand behind it, and two more marigold clusters with leaves sit at its sides. The smooth body is mostly large open areas, so the dog is quick to fill.

Boy Painting an Alebrije Figure

A smiling boy on a stool paints a flower-patterned alebrije with a thin brush at a workbench. Two paint pots, a candle, a sugar skull and a pan de muerto sit beside him, and a wall shelf above holds a rabbit, bird, cat, winged beast and stag. The shelf animals are small and dense, while the boy’s shirt and trousers are large open areas.

Family and Community

Family Decorating a Grave with Marigolds

A father, mother, boy and girl gather around an arched headstone, laying marigold garlands while the boy waters the flowers from a daisy-decorated can. Four candles, a sugar skull and a pan de muerto sit at the base, and a hilltop chapel rises behind. The embroidered blouses and lace cuffs are finely detailed, so this one suits patient colorers.

Girl with Sugar Skull Face Paint

Close-up portrait of a smiling girl with big sparkly eyes, scalloped flower swirls around each eye, and teardrop and dot patterns on her forehead, cheeks and chin. Two ruffled marigolds and pointed leaves frame her, and her blouse has a scalloped lace collar. The face paint is fine detail, while hair and petals give larger areas.

Mariachi Trio Playing at an Ofrenda

Three mariachis in embroidered jackets and wide sombreros play guitar, trumpet and violin behind an altar. Two framed portraits, four candles, marigolds, two sugar skulls and a pan de muerto sit on lace-cut cloths, with papel picado flags across the top. The altar is fine, dense detail, while the jackets and trousers give larger open areas.

Folklórico Dancers Under String Lights

A smiling girl in a tiered ruffled skirt and a boy in a charro jacket and wide sombrero spin across a courtyard with arched columns and a string of round bulbs overhead. In the corners sit two candles, a sugar skull, marigolds and a pan de muerto. The swirling skirt has many narrow ruffle bands, so it takes patience and a few shades.

La Catrina with Feathered Hat and Marigold Bouquet

La Catrina stands in a long tiered gown with an off-shoulder lace collar and a fringed shawl, holding a marigold bouquet. Her wide scalloped hat carries flowers and two feathers. Papel picado flags, a potted marigold plant, two candles and a pan de muerto sit behind her. The wide skirt has large open areas, and the face and hat are the fine parts.

Grandmother Telling Stories by the Altar

A grandmother in a chair with a fringed shawl and embroidered blouse gestures toward an altar while a boy and two girls, one with a long braid, sit cross-legged on the floor and listen. The altar holds two framed portraits, two sugar skulls, four candles, a pan de muerto and marigold vases. The wide skirt and children’s clothes give open areas, and the altar cloth has fine cut-paper scallops.

Street Procession with Giant Skeleton Puppet

A towering skeleton puppet in a flowered dress and marigold garlands is carried down a village street past tile roofs and four papel picado flags. Below it, a mustached guitarist, a trumpeter and a family with candles, a sugar skull and a pan de muerto walk along. This is a busy, detailed scene, so it suits patient colorers.

Making Things

Children Cutting Papel Picado at the Table

Three smiling children, a boy and two braided girls, snip flower and heart patterns into folded paper with scissors while a three-flag papel picado banner hangs above. On the table in front sit a pan de muerto, two candles, a sugar skull, a vase of marigolds and scattered paper scraps.

Making Paper Marigolds with Grandma

At a table by a curtained window, a smiling grandmother and two children each hold a ruffled paper marigold they have just made. The table holds a stack of tissue sheets, a patterned vase of marigolds, two candles, a pan de muerto and a sugar skull. The marigold petals are small and dense, so this sheet suits fine-tipped pencils.

Family Decorating Sugar Skulls in the Kitchen

A smiling mother holds a plate of three sugar skulls while a boy and a girl pipe icing onto their own skulls with piping bags. The table also has two pan de muerto loaves, a plate of marigolds, two candles and a bowl. Behind them, a window shows a church and shelves hold jugs and plates.

Father on Ladder Raising a Marigold Arch

A smiling man on a stepladder lifts a marigold arch over a tiered altar while a braided girl hands him another flower cluster. A framed portrait of an older woman sits between two candles, with two sugar skulls and a pan de muerto below. Five papel picado flags hang along the top, and the tablecloth edges are cut-paper lace. The marigold pom-poms are small, so they suit fine pencils.

Family Vigil Before the Ofrenda

Seated on the floor in front of an altar, a father, mother, boy and girl each hold a mug while three pan de muerto loaves rest on a plate between them. Behind them are a framed portrait, two sugar skulls, candles, papel picado and an arched window showing a moon and stars. The embroidered blouses and lace trims call for careful shading.

Patterns and Mandalas

Sugar Skull and Marigold Wreath

Four smiling sugar skulls alternate with four ruffled marigold blossoms in a ring around an empty center. Each skull has flower-shaped eye sockets, a heart-shaped nose, a forehead blossom and a row of dots and a heart on the chin. Each marigold has two leaves. The petal clusters are small, so fine pencils suit them best.

Sugar Skull with Flower Eyes and Hearts

A front-facing sugar skull fills the page, with six-petal flowers inside scalloped eye sockets and a heart-shaped nose. A large blossom with two leaves crowns the forehead, and swirls, teardrops and small hearts cover the cheeks and chin. The bold, clean outlines and open shapes are easy to color.

Candle and Marigold Mandala with Butterflies

A round mandala with a lit candle on a small dish at the center, circled by six ruffled marigolds and leaves. The middle ring alternates four sugar skulls with four butterflies, and an outer border of large pointed petals frames it. The wide outer petals are easy to fill, while the butterfly wings and marigolds need fine pencils.

Getting to Know Day of the Deads

Día de los Muertos, which means “Day of the Dead,” is celebrated in Mexico on November 1 and 2. Tradition sets aside the first day for children who have died, known as Día de los Angelitos, and the second day for adults. The holiday blends Indigenous traditions that existed long before the Spanish arrived with the Catholic feasts of All Saints and All Souls. In 2008, UNESCO added the Indigenous festivals honoring the dead in Mexico to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

It is worth saying clearly that this is not a Mexican Halloween. Halloween falls on October 31 and has different roots. Día de los Muertos is a holiday of remembrance and family love, and it has no scares in it. That is how we drew these pages: people smile, candles glow, and flowers are everywhere.

The Ofrenda and Its Offerings

The heart of the holiday is the ofrenda, a Spanish word for “offering.” Families set up an altar with photos, candles, flowers, and the favorite foods and drinks of the people they remember. Many altars also hold personal things such as a hat or a guitar. People believe the dead come to visit on these days, so the altar is a way of saying “welcome back.”

Several foods have their own meaning. Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead,” is a sweet yeast bread. The stripes on top recall bones, and the little ball in the center recalls a skull. Calaveras de azúcar, or sugar skulls, are decorated sweets, often with a person’s name written on the forehead. They are given as gifts or placed on the ofrenda. The skulls on our sheets are left blank, so there are no names to worry about.

Marigolds, Paper, and Color

Cempasúchil, the marigold, is the flower of the holiday. Its name comes from Nahuatl and means roughly “twenty flowers.” Its bright orange color and strong scent are said to guide souls home, which is why families scatter petals in a path leading to the house. Papel picado, Spanish for “punched paper,” is another familiar sight. These are colorful tissue paper banners with patterns cut into them. They flutter in the wind and stand for how fragile life is.

Catrinas, Alebrijes, and Animal Spirits

La Catrina began as a drawing by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century. She got her name and her look as an elegant lady from murals by Diego Rivera, and today she is the symbol of the festival. Alebrijes are a newer tradition. Pedro Linares invented them in Mexico City in the 1930s. He said he saw fantastic creatures during a fever and then built them from papier-mâché. Animals matter too. Monarch butterflies fly to central Mexico each autumn and arrive around November 1 and 2, and many families see them as the souls of loved ones. The Xoloitzcuintle, a hairless dog, is a companion of souls in Aztec tradition.

How to Print and Color These Pages

Each PDF is sized for A4 paper. If you print on US Letter, choose “Fit to page” or “Scale to fit” in the print dialog so nothing is cut off at the edges. Plain printer paper works well for crayons, colored pencils, and thin markers. If you plan to use watercolor, paint markers, or lots of water, choose a heavier paper or cardstock so it does not buckle. Print in black and white, and set the quality to standard or high for clean, dark lines.

Choosing the right sheet makes coloring more fun. Toddlers and preschoolers do best with the simple pages that have one large marigold or one loaf of pan de muerto. The thick lines and wide open spaces are easy to fill. Grade school kids usually enjoy the family and music scenes, where there are people, instruments, and small details to decide about. Older kids, teens, and adults can take on the full ofrenda, La Catrina, and the mandala patterns. These reward fine pencils and patient shading.

As for colors, this is one holiday where almost anything goes. Marigolds look right in orange and yellow. Papel picado is traditionally bold, in hot pink, turquoise, purple, orange, and green. Sugar skulls and alebrijes can be every bright color you own. Bread looks best in golden brown. Do not hold back, because the holiday is meant to be vivid.

Things to Make With Your Finished Pages

• A family ofrenda display. Tape finished altar, candle, and food pages together on a wall or door. Add real photos of relatives you want to remember and talk about them as you work.
• A paper garland. Cut colored sheets into rectangles or flags, punch two holes in each, and string them along a length of yarn. It makes a simple stand in for papel picado.
• Cards and bookmarks. Cut out small motifs such as a marigold, a butterfly, or a sugar skull. Glue them to folded cardstock for greeting cards, or to narrow strips for bookmarks.
• A memory book. Staple your favorite pages into a booklet. On the back of each one, write a short memory of a person or a pet you miss, or a favorite food they loved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these Day of the Dead coloring pages really free?

Yes. Every sheet is free to download and print for personal use at home. Click the picture to open the PDF, then print as many copies as you like.

What age are these pages for?

There is something for nearly every age. Toddlers can start with the simple sheets that show one big flower or one loaf of bread. Grade school children will like the family and music scenes. Teens and adults can enjoy the detailed ofrenda, Catrina, and mandala pages.

Which colors are correct?

Marigolds are orange and yellow, and papel picado is bright pink, turquoise, purple, orange, and green. Sugar skulls and alebrijes can be any bright colors, and pan de muerto is golden brown. Since the holiday is joyful and colorful, every sheet here can be filled with as many colors as you like.

Is Day of the Dead the same as Halloween?

No. Halloween is on October 31 and has different roots. Día de los Muertos is held on November 1 and 2 and is a holiday of remembrance. Families honor the people they love with food, flowers, and stories, and the tone is warm rather than frightening.

Can I use these pages in a classroom?

Yes, teachers are welcome to print them for their students. They pair well with a short lesson on the holiday, such as the meaning of the ofrenda, why marigolds matter, or the story behind alebrijes. It helps to present the holiday as a living tradition that real families observe with respect and affection.

Do the sugar skulls on the pages have names?

No. In Mexico a sugar skull often carries a person’s name on its forehead, but the skulls on these sheets are left blank. Children can leave them that way, add a pattern, or write the name of someone they want to remember.

Matthew Matthysen( Drawing and Painting Artist )

Matthew Matthysen is an educated multidisciplinary artist and illustrator. He successfully completed his art degree at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, majoring in art history and contemporary drawing. The focus of his thesis was to explore the philosophical implications of the macro and micro-universe on the human experience. Matthew uses diverse media, such as written and hands-on components, to explore various approaches that are on the border between philosophy and science.

Matthew organized various exhibitions before and during his years as a student and is still passionate about doing so today. He currently works as a freelance artist and writer in various fields. He also has a permanent position at a renowned online gallery (ArtGazette) where he produces various works on commission. As a freelance artist, he creates several series and successfully sells them to galleries and collectors. He loves to use his work and skills in various fields of interest.

Matthew has been creating drawing and painting tutorials since the relaunch in 2020. Through his involvement with artincontext.org, he has been able to deepen his knowledge of various painting mediums. For example, watercolor techniques, calligraphy and lately digital drawing, which is becoming more and more popular.

Learn more about Matthew Matthysen and the Art in Context Team.