My project is a charcoal drawing of an altar dedicated to the Virgen de la Guadalupe. She is an important part of Day of the Dead and I wanted to honor that in this work. I focused on the flowers and candles and what they symbolize. In the drawing of the altar the roses symbolize balance and the beauty of this flower expresses promise, hope, new beginnings; the thorns on the roses symbolize defense and loss. The English daisy symbolizes innocence and they are often paired with primroses, which are a symbol for childhood and motherly love. I also added tulips which symbolize cheerful thoughts because Day of the Dead is a time for reflection and happiness. The candle, lit in times of death signifies the light in the next world and they represent Christ as the light. I began this drawing in vine charcoal, then I outlined it with a charcoal pencil and compressed charcoal and finished the drawing with a blending stump and white charcoal.