Traditional Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Art

 Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852 - 1913) was Mexico’s most famous graphic artist. He illustrated books, novels, and the famous broadsides (news sheets) that were distributed throughout the country. Many of his drawings could be considered to be political cartoons. Known especially for his engravings of the “calaveras” or skeletons that cavort, eat and drink, ride bicycles and horses, are revolutionaries, street vendors, and everyday people.

His art is traditional for All Souls’ Day, the Day of the Dead or “Dia de los Muertos”.  The Day of the Dead actually consists of two days: November 1st for the remembrance of deceased infants and children and November 2nd for deceased adults.

Curious History: "The Tattooist" by Norman Rockwell

Rockwell used a neighbor, Clarence Decker, as the sailor in the "Tattooist", 1944. Decker was ‘Master of the Grange’ in Arlington, and shows up in quite a few of Rockwell’s illustrations. 
The Tattoo Archive received an email from Ross Mosher, who is the great, great nephew of Clarence Decker, the sailor model for The Tattooist, which read:

“Clarence didn’t have a single tattoo in real life. Also the last name on his arm is Betty – that’s because my great, great aunt Belle told Norman that if he put her name in the painting, she wouldn’t speak to him ever again. So Norman crossed the L’s and added a Y.”

Curious History: Marvelous Monsters

 Artist Jordu Schell creates wonderful monsters and creatures, primarily for the film and television industry. Since his start in 1987, his work has been featured in Avatar, Alien vs. Predator, and many other productions.