Skulls have been used for artistic decoration right from early primitive civilisations. Whether they’re used to embellish your battle gear or the latest heavy metal album cover design, skulls are a symbol of death and evil that makes them the perfect imagery for certain aesthetics. In today’s design inspiration showcase I present 40 magnificently morbid […]

This painting explores death and the destiny of the souls for our ancestors, the Mexica. The body contains within itself numerous animating energies, or souls. The three most important of these are the Tonalli, the Teyollia, and the Ihiyotl. These are independent entities, who possess agency and will. Together, they give life, warmth, and vitality to the body, and compose our spiritual self. In the crown of our head dwells the Tonalli, which is associated with the heavens, and which expresses itself physically as growth, as hair and nails. It is the vivifying force of heat which warms our bodies, and in it is contained thought and will, the knowledge of right and wrong, and it is linked to our destiny. Our Teyollia resides in our heart, and is linked to the earth. It is the site of love, personality, and emotional wisdom, and like the Tonalli rules thought. It is expressed in the body as blood and breath. The Ihiyotl resides in the liver, and rises up from the underworld. It is the site of vitality, passion, sexuality, greed, envy, and all of the powerful emotions which rise up, unbidden, and without control. It is expressed physically in the body as gas and feces. Finally, we possess Nahualli, Spirit Animals, who travel to the Spirit World in dreams, and who live there, engaging with the Teteo, the Gods, and the ancestors, on our behalf. All of these different entities, plus numerous others, dwell within us, giving us life and tying us to destiny and the cosmos. In death, these different souls leave our body, ultimately reuniting with Ometeotl and returning to the fabric of the cosmos. In the painting, the man lies dying. He wears the skull-mask of Mictlantecuhtli, the Lord of Death, and stares out with His dead, unseeing eyes. He floats above Cipactli, the Earth, who awaits, as the tomb, to consume him. From the crown of his head you emerge a serpent. This serpent represents his Tonalli, which rises to Omeyocan, the Thirteenth Heaven, the source of all heat, wisdom, and life, where it will reunite with Ometeotl. From his mouth emerges his breath, in the form of a Breath Serpent, whose head is that of Ehecatl, the Lord of the Wind. This represents the escape of his Teyollia, his Heart-Soul from his body. It will now journey to the underworld, Mictlan, and pass through the nine layers of the Land of the Dead, where all memory, thought, personality, and ego, will be stripped of it, so that it too becomes pure in the light of Ometeotl. From his heart emerges one of his Nahualli, his Spirit Animals, in this case in the form of a hummingbird. His own head looks out of his mouth, to symbolize that he is his Spirit Animal. It will die just as he has died, and itself return to the embrace of Ometeotl. Finally, he expels gas in the form of a skeletal centipede, with the mask of Death. This represents his Ihiyotl, the soul which resides in his liver. It emerges as his passion, his sin, his vital force. Above its head is a mountain-glyph. This is the Sacred Mountain. The Ihiyotl thus returns to the underworld, from which it had arisen, where it will dissolve and return to the divine continuum of Ometeotl. This painting represents the moment of death, as the forces that give us life abandon us, and we are stripped of ego and individuality, and become as one with the totality of being.

I am honored to showcase these works on my blog as they are rare, forgotten or neglected Latin masterworks to the pinup world. I will post more information on these unknown masters in the future.

"HER MONSTER" by Remed. 50x50cm. Xilogravure on paper. 2008

~La Luna~ The La Luna poster is made with archival inks on a high quality heavyweight archival matte paper approx 15" x 22" The Felix d'Eon scroll image is our watermark used to protect our images and does not appear on the print.

This mermaid image was inspired by the Mexican Loteria card, "La Sirena" and Day of the Dead. My version is from the "Pierrot" Loteria deck, which is different than the traditional "Don Clemente" Sirena card. This is a reproduction of my original art. You can choose a print that measures 5" x 7", 8" x 10", or 11" x 14". Signed on the back by the artist, and ready to slip into a standard sized frame! The watermark logo will not appear on your print. *Please note that colors appear different on every computer monitor.* Printed on matte fine art paper which is a high quality 100% cotton rag paper. It has a lovely surface texture, which replicates my original watercolor illustrations. This paper is archival quality, fade resistant, and water resistant. Printed with Canon Chromalife inks for lasting vibrancy. The print will be packaged in a cello sleeve with backing board. Shipped via First Class Mail in a sturdy mailer. Please view my other Loteria designs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/illustratedink?section_id=11240617 Interested in the full series? I offer Loteria print sets in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/103366006/day-of-the-dead-art-prints-mexican © 2015 {Illustrated Ink} Leila Cothran. The sale of my art does not transfer copyright or any reproduction rights.

This image is derived from the Mexican magazine El Maestro circa 1922, which was celebrating and promoting literature and art in Mexico. The original image has been digitally enhanced to give it a modern freshness that should see it used as for posters, wall art, cards and any number of other creative products. An inverse image is also included for those who might like a blue theme or the night time feel. This is a large digital image (300 dpi / 30 by 44 cm) created from an original drawing and is available as a digitally downloaded JPG. You can make multiple copies as required but this is not provided for commercial use or redistribution. The WAIF images logo will not appear on your downloaded image Due to the nature of instant downloadable products, refunds will not be given after purchase. Please note that colors may vary slightly from computer to computer and printer to printer. As a digital purchase no physical item will be mailed.

This devil image was inspired by the Mexican Loteria card, "El Diablo" and old school tattoo. My version is from the "Pierrot" Loteria deck, which is slightly different than the traditional "Don Clemente" Diablo card. This is a reproduction of my original art. You can choose a print that measures 5" x 7", 8" x 10", or 11" x 14". Signed on the back by the artist, and ready to slip into a standard sized frame! The watermark logo will not appear on your print. *Please note that colors appear different on every computer monitor.* Printed on matte fine art paper which is a high quality 100% cotton rag paper. It has a lovely surface texture, which replicates my original watercolor illustrations. This paper is archival quality, fade resistant, and water resistant. Printed with Canon Chromalife inks for lasting vibrancy. The print will be packaged in a cello sleeve with backing board. Shipped via First Class Mail in a sturdy mailer. Please view my other Loteria designs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/illustratedink?section_id=11240617 Interested in the full series? I offer Loteria print sets in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/103366006/day-of-the-dead-art-prints-mexican © 2015 {Illustrated Ink} Leila Cothran. The sale of my art does not transfer copyright or any reproduction rights.