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Step 1
Shop at flea markets and local shops in border towns. You'll find masks, sculptures, figurines, paintings and other Day of the Dead folk art on both sides of the borders.
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Step 2
Check in late November for the largest selection. While Day of the Dead art can be found year round, it is most abundant just after the holiday.
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Step 3
Negotiate a good price. Bargaining seems to be a given when shopping in Mexico and Latin American countries, so you should have no problem getting the merchant to drop the price a bit. Walking away usually gets a low offer yelled after you.
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Step 4
Buy the pieces you like when you have a chance. Since this folk art is inspired by a holiday, it varies year to year. Some artists create distinct pieces that you'll never find again, so grab them while you can.
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Step 5
Try eBay (see Resources below). At any given time, you'll find a huge selection of Day of the Dead folk art up for auction.
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Step 1
Look for larger porcelain pieces from Peru. Standing around 8 inches tall, these pieces tend to be very clean sculptures with elaborately painted decoration.
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Step 2
Find wooden treasures from Guatemala. These crude carvings usually depict skeletons.
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Step 3
Scour Mexico for the widest variety of Day of the Dead pieces. Since the holiday originated in this country, the folk art inspired by the day seems to be far more common. You'll find neon skulls, paper mache skeletons and dioramas depicting every job or scene imaginable.
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Step 4
Collect the pieces you like, mixing pieces from different countries. Since skeletons tend to run through all Day of the Dead folk art, you can still build a strong collection without basing it on one country.
