HOUSTON, Texas -- Papel picado, or punched paper, is a Mexican art form with a rich history. It is made by skillful artisans using tissue paper, a hammer, and chisels.

Papel picado is now used in modern-day altars. They include images of skulls or flower designs. The paper comes in many colors, but purple is said to represent mourning and yellow signifies purity.

Philadelphia-based visual artist Karina Puente creates wall-size banners for events, using the traditional folk art of 'papel picado' - which in Spanish, translates to 'cut paper'.

Artisans make “papel picado”, the traditional manufacture of tissue paper cut-out decorations long used in altars for the Day of the Dead, in a workshop in Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City ...

Papel picado (“punched paper” in Spanish) has its roots in pre-Columbian times, when the Indigenous Nahuatl people of Mexico made amate paper from the bark of mulberry and fig trees, said ...

Artisans make “papel picado”, the traditional manufacture of tissue paper cut-out decorations long used in altars for the Day of the Dead, in a workshop in Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City ...

Begun in the 1800s, experts say ‘papel picado’ using tissue paper is probably a continuation of a far older pre-Hispanic tradition of painting ceremonial figures on paper made of fig-bark sheets.

Papel picado is now used in modern-day altars. They include images of skulls or flower designs. The paper comes in many colors, but purple is said to represent mourning and yellow signifies purity.

Papel picado is now used in modern-day altars. They include images of skulls or flower designs. The paper comes in many colors, but purple is said to represent mourning and yellow signifies purity.