Painted Pumpkins: 50 Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas
Updated on September 21, 2021
Halloween is just around the corner. If you have not gotten a chance to decorate your pumpkins yet, you should get on it immediately. Besides, it is a fun activity for the entire family, and even your children can chip in.
But we understand how challenging it can be to find the next best pumpkin painting tutorial, especially when you have already handled so many Halloween themes over the years.
Not to worry, since we are here to help you take a step in the right direction. We did all the research and created a list of the 50 best pumpkin painting tutorials you should try out this year. Some of them require carving, and almost all involve painting. We are sure that you can find something that works best for you and your family.
50 Best Pumpkin Painting Tutorials for 2021
Without keeping you on your toes any longer, here are the 50 top pumpkin painting tutorials you should try out this year.
1. Black and White Pumpkin Painting Ideas
Suppose you are going with an elegant Halloween theme for your family and guests. In that case, you can easily decorate a black-and-white patterned pumpkin using the simple instructions provided in this guide.
As far as supplies are concerned, you will need a white pumpkin, acrylic paint, adhesive letters, a black Sharpie marker, a blue painter’s tape, and a foam craft brush. However, you can choose any colors that go with your Halloween party theme.
You start by applying a coat of paint to only half the pumpkin before sticking the letters to the other half. Let the paint dry off, and then apply a second coat to obtain a solid color.
Then, you can design your pattern using the Sharpie marker on the same side as the message. This can take a while, depending on the size of your pumpkin, so arm yourself with patience.
And that’s it! Once the paint dries off, you can admire your pumpkin design and even start working on a new one with a different pattern. We are sure that your guests will appreciate it.
2. Splatter Painted Pumpkins
It’s possible to design a splatter-painted pumpkin that becomes a table centerpiece and a topic of discussion among your guests. Besides, you can quickly put together this look after checking out our simple guide.
Before getting started, make sure that you have a small or medium pumpkin, white spray paint, black acrylic paint, a large paintbrush, and a small, thin paintbrush. We went with the black-and-white theme for this tutorial, but you can choose any colors that match your Halloween event.
You begin by covering the surface with a plastic cover to protect it from paint. Then, you take a large paintbrush and paint the whole pumpkin in one color, including the stem.
It might not look good after the first coat of paint dries off, so be sure to apply a second layer if you are not pleased with the results. While waiting, you can open your can of black acrylic paint and prepare the small and thin paintbrush.
Once the solid color dies off, dip the small paintbrush in black paint and flick the tip using your index finger to create the splatter effect on the pumpkin. Feel free to experiment on a blank piece of paper first to preview the results.
3. Goofy Faces Cute Painting Ideas
Kids need plenty of color in their Halloween party theme, so make sure to not miss out on this colorful pumpkin concept. Goofy faces are drawn on regular pumpkins, which look like clowns living in the countryside. Besides, you can have your whole family join in.
As you can imagine, you need multiple paint colors to pull this off and make the designs as lively as possible. Furthermore, you should commit to making several pumpkins this way, each in the craziest way possible.
The image above has clowns with red noses, smiles, blushing cheeks, and eyes of various colors. And, if you want to get particularly creative, you can top them off by adding crazy hats.
4. Creative Halloween Painting Ideas for Pumpkins
If you want to take an artistic approach toward Halloween, check out this creative painting idea for pumpkins, where there is no carving involved. All you need is some paint.
Multiple coats of different paint colors can be applied to a single pumpkin to obtain this stunning effect. The trick is to allow the paint to drip on the sides and let it dry before applying another paint color.
If you feel that the whole creative process here is too random, you can turn to a paintbrush to define the drips. Don’t forget to add glitter to top off the design. Make sure to decorate several pumpkins this way, each time using a different set of colors. We are confident that your guests and trick-or-treaters will love it.
5. Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas
This is a cute and easy pumpkin painting idea that requires little effort on your behalf. It’s a minimalistic design since you don’t have to go overboard with the paint. You don’t even need paint but just a Sharpie marker.
Gather a few miniature pumpkins in orange or white, then draw dots on them using the Sharpie marker. If you need inspiration, make sure to check out the designs used in our intuitive guide. Of course, you can go off the book and create any design you want.
Suppose you feel that the look is too monochromatic. In that case, you can use Sharpie markers in several colors as well as paint the mini pumpkins in any color before drawing on them. Just make sure to use plastic covers to protect the surface from paint. Also, you should let the paint dry off completely before applying a second coat.
In addition to dots, you can write funny messages like Happy Halloween or Trick or Treat. And, since it’s easy enough, you can have your children join in. It’s an excellent last-minute solution when it comes to embellishing Halloween pumpkins since it’s not necessary to purchase any specific materials.
6. Glamorous Copper Cool Pumpkin Painting Ideas
If you are looking for a cool pumpkin painting idea that will surely stand out and amaze your guests, check out this glamorous copper pumpkin. There can be only one of them, so you don’t have to decorate more than one pumpkin this way.
It works as an element of decoration, whether you are thinking about placing it outside of your front door to greet guests and trick-or-treaters or presenting it as a table centerpiece for your friends to admire.
We have a simple tutorial prepared that shows you all the steps you need to take to obtain this classy-looking pumpkin using do-it-yourself instructions. When it comes to materials, make sure to get an artificial foam pumpkin, a drop cloth, copper spray paint, a plastic cover to protect the surface from paint, as well as copper brads.
You start by spray painting the entire pumpkin in copper. After letting it dry off, you can insert the copper brads. And that’s all there is to it! It’s simple enough that a child can make it happen. But you will obtain an exquisite pumpkin that looks expensive.
In addition to copper, you can play with gold, silver, or another type of glamorous color when it comes to spray paint. Just make sure that it goes well with your Halloween party theme.
7. Stenciled Vampire Emoji Halloween Pumpkin Painting
This is a cool project that is incredibly easy to make, even for kids. Showcased by Plaid Crafts, the YouTube video tutorial shows how to quickly create a stenciled vampire emoji pumpkin for Halloween, which is more cute than scary.
As far as supplies go, you will need a pumpkin, a two-way stencil, multiple colors of paint, three paintbrushes, a pencil, and a cutter. If you can’t find all these items in your local crafting store, you can buy them online. Don’t worry since you don’t have to carve anything.
Begin by drawing the vampire emoji on a sheet of paper. Look up the templates on the Internet to ensure that you will not make any mistakes. Afterward, you can stick the paper to the two-way stencil, cut out the design over the blanks, and paint the blank space (eyes and mouth).
It can be a bit tricky when it comes to the mouth, so make sure to get the tongue and teeth right by consulting the YouTube video. You must draw the teeth before the tongue and the remaining parts of the mouth. And, when painting the elements, get the teeth and tongue first since it will be easier later. After the painting is done, remove the stencil and admire your new design.
As you have probably noticed, there is no carving involved. However, there’s also a variant with carving. In that case, you can use the stencil to draw the contour of the facial elements, peel it off, and carve them instead of painting them. It’s also necessary to build the tongue out of a foam sheet, paint it pink, and then use pins to stick it to the top of the mouth.
8. Endless Smiles Halloween Painting Ideas
This is a fun Halloween painting idea for your children since you can paint smiling cartoon characters on pumpkins and let them brighten up your entire home. We love the concept of numerous smiling pumpkins as presented in this photo, so make sure to take some time and decorate as many pumpkins as you can.
The project is pretty straightforward. The trickiest part is drawing the contour of the facial elements before applying paint. If you do not trust your drawing skills, make sure to stick to the design showcased in this image. Or, you can look up more similar images online and use them on templates.
After drawing the contours with a pencil, you can paint them with black paint and a thin paintbrush. Then, you can paint the white of the eyes as well as pink of the nose and mouth with another slightly thicker paintbrush. We are certain that your children will fall in love with this concept.
9. Straight Face Pumpkin Painting Designs
Not all pumpkins must have smiling or scary faces for Halloween. You can opt for a more neutral approach by painting a straight face, along with minimalistic facial elements. We think that a lot of people love this simplistic design, which goes well with a more grown-up Halloween party.
Suppose you want to use the picture as an example. In that case, you need black and white paint, along with two paintbrushes: a larger one for painting the entire pumpkin white and a smaller, thinner one for drawing the facial expressions.
Before getting started with the paint job, make sure to protect the surface from paint using some plastic covers. After applying the first layer of white paint to the entire pumpkin, let it dry off before adding a second coat to obtain the solid color.
You can then dip the thin brush in black paint to draw the subtle facial elements: eyes, nose, and straight mouth. To amplify the neutral effect, you can decorate several pumpkins this way and create an ensemble.
10. Black Spider Cute Pumpkin Painting Ideas
You can turn a whole pumpkin into an awesome-looking black spider by watching this cool YouTube video tutorial created by Camden’s Playhouse. It’s adorable and doesn’t take much of your time, but you need some prosthetics.
Start by getting a large pumpkin. Its color doesn’t matter since you will be turning it completely black using spray paint. If you live in an apartment, place some plastic covers on the floor to protect it from the paint.
After making the pumpkin black, you can shift your attention to the spider’s legs. An easy way to make them is by drawing the shape on cardboard and cutting them to fit the pumpkin. However, you should cut two pieces of cardboard for each leg, where one piece is black and smaller while the other is white and bigger. The idea is to support the spider legs by gluing two pieces of cardboard together, which makes the legs stronger. And, since the back of the legs is white, it will stand out.
To fit the legs, you can use a cutter to make two creases on each side of the pumpkin. Then, you can tape small plastic tubes to one end of each leg so that it can be easily inserted into the crease. Be careful when making the creases and adding the spider legs since the overall look should be as symmetrical as possible.
As for the remaining instructions, you can glue numerous googly eyes to the pumpkin and make the mouth out of some red cardboard. We are sure that you will fall in love with this cute black spider.
11. Scary Pumpkin Painting Ideas
Pumpkins are usually adorable for Halloween, especially when you have your children living at home. However, thanks to this scary-looking painted pumpkin, you can take the opposite approach and make a spooky party theme for grownups.
This YouTube video tutorial is brought to you by Helen Mabel and shows everything you need to know to bring this sinister creature to life from a regular pumpkin. Start by gathering your supplies: acrylic paint, hot glue sticks, and a Sharpie marker.
Get started by drawing the eyes, nose, and mouth as eerie as possible with the Sharpie marker. If you are unsure about what you are supposed to draw, pay special attention to the video tutorial on YouTube.
Afterward, prepare your hot glue gun and apply glue to the contour to create an embossed effect. Don’t be afraid about getting messy when adding several layers of glue. After this step, shift your attention to the blank spaces and add only a thin layer of hot glue there.
Prepare a mixture of acrylic paints to obtain an orange-peach color, and then use a paintbrush to apply it over the glue. It’s important to also add a bit of paint to the backside, although the front side should be a bit brighter.
Now, take a look at your pumpkin to check if it still needs some hot glue. You should apply a final layer of hot glue to emphasize the pumpkin’s facial expressions. Once you are done, you can help the glue dry faster using a hairdryer.
12. Colorful Easy Pumpkin Painting
This is a variant of the creative Halloween painting idea for pumpkin idea, where you can make paint drip over the miniature pumpkin to create a cool effect that will make your guests wonder.
For this project, it’s best to go with mini white pumpkins since the painting colors look better on white than on orange. However, suppose you have a specific party theme in mind. In that case, you can get the pumpkins in any color and then transform them into a different color, like black.
But the colorful paint will drip easier on non-painted pumpkins. Get some tubes of multiple acrylic paints, open one of them, apply a generous amount of paint to the top of the pumpkin (near the stem), and then help it drip by slightly moving the pumpkin to each side. You can also use a paintbrush for help, although the results will not look this good.
Wait for the paint to dry off before opening another tube of differently colored paint and applying it in the same manner. Repeat these steps for all colors involved. Once you are done, we are sure that you will adore the results. Be sure to decorate multiple pumpkins this way and create an ensemble piece. They can also be used as table centerpieces.
13. Scary Painted Pumpkins
Another popular Halloween character is the scarecrow, which you can easily incorporate into your pumpkin decorations with the help of this awesome YouTube video tutorial made by Wicker Makers. However, a bit of carving is involved.
You will need a pumpkin, a carving knife, black acrylic paint, and paintbrushes when it comes to supplies. Begin by carving the eyes, nose, and mouth to make them creepy – just like in the video tutorial.
Then, dip a paintbrush in black acrylic paint to paint the inner parts of the facial expressions, making sure that no light colors will remain visible. You can use a thin paintbrush to extend the corners of these elements so that they grab the viewer’s attention.
Afterward, add a thin layer of paint over the pumpkin’s natural creases, including the stem. Wait for the paint to dry off completely before you can admire the results. You can stop watching the video tutorial at this point. Or, if you want to create a spookier stage to present the pumpkin in your yard, keep watching to learn how to make a scary stand from twine, wood, wood screws, and sticks.
14. Skull Pumpkin Painting Ideas
Check out this adorable Halloween painting idea for sugar skulls. The YouTube video tutorial is brought to you by Fluffy Dog Vlog and shows everything you need to know to make this project happen.
You just need a pumpkin and a Sharpie marker. The trickiest part is drawing the skull pattern with the Sharpie marker, so we suggest finding an online image that you love, printing it, and using it as a template.
It’s not necessary to apply any colors since the pumpkin can be naturally orange, and the sugar skull can be black. But if you find it too bland, you can add some bright blue, pink, green, and yellow colors to recreate the Day of the Dead theme, complete with flowers.
15. Witch Glow In The Dark Pumpkin Paint
Witches will always be a popular Halloween theme. And you can combine witches with pumpkins, thanks to this awesome idea of a pumpkin witch that glows in the dark. It will surely send chills down your kids’ spines when waking up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water.
As far as supplies are concerned, you need a pumpkin, glow-in-the-dark paints of various colors, a paintbrush, and a witch’s hat.
Get started by drawing the witch’s facial features: eyes, nose, mouth, and teeth. If you are not sure about what exactly you are supposed to paint, try to follow the pattern shown in this picture. Otherwise, you can look up which faces on the Internet and use one as a template.
There’s no clear recipe so remember to have fun when applying the glow-in-the-dark paints. You can also use a rag to smear off some paint and create a cool effect. Make sure to let the paint dry off completely before adding a new color. Once you are satisfied with the results, add a final touch by placing the witch’s hat on top of the pumpkin.
16. Easy Pumpkin Painting On Canvas
This is a completely different approach than everything we have seen so far since you are not decorating a Halloween pumpkin but painting one on paper or canvas. A lot of users are looking for easy tutorials on how to paint Halloween pumpkins, and we think that this YouTube video made by Createful Art with Ashley Krieger nails it.
As far as supplies are concerned, you will need canvas or paper, heavy body acrylic paints, a set of paintbrushes, a paper towel, and water. The video tells you the exact colors you must prepare for the project.
Things get easier than you suspect afterward. When it comes to the steps, you have to paint the background, sketch the pumpkin, create the pumpkin underlayer, and paint the shadows. It’s then necessary to add a playful splatter and paint the pumpkin orange before adding the final details.
17. Scary Painted Pumpkin Faces
If you are looking for additional ideas on how to paint a creepy pumpkin for Halloween, you can’t miss out on this awesome YouTube video tutorial made by TravelerX 5280. It’s a stunning design that takes your breath away. Plus, it’s really easy.
Begin by obtaining an artificial pumpkin from your local craft store. If it’s already carved, then you can jump right to the painting part. Otherwise, get a cutter and carve the facial features. Try to make it resemble the pumpkin from the video presentation.
As far as the painting is concerned, you can seamlessly use spray paint to not have to worry about paintbrushes. Use red paint to spray around the mouth, and then wipe the area around it to create a smudged effect. To do this, you just need a plain rag and some isopropyl alcohol. Don’t worry since there’s no risk of messing up the design at this point.
Next, get red and black spray paint to apply around the eyes and nose using the same technique as before. Don’t forget about the smudges. Now, let the paint dry off before you can admire the results. It’s pretty impressive.
18. Baby Yoda Jack Pumpkin Painting
If you and your family are Star Wars fans, we suggest designing this super-cute baby Yoda pumpkin for Halloween. Check out the YouTube video tutorial created by Play & Create to find out the complete steps you need to take to make this project happen.
As far as supplies are concerned, you will need a small pumpkin, green paints, a large paintbrush, a smaller and thinner paintbrush, a pencil, two pieces of cardboard, a pair of scissors, a cutter, a hot glue gun, together with black, white paint, orange, and pink paint.
Make sure to protect the surface from paints using some plastic covers. Begin by painting the entire pumpkin light green, to match Yoda’s skin tone. If you do not have the right shade, you can mix some green paint with white to brighten it.
Let the paint dry off, and then get the small paintbrush to draw the contour of the eyes and smile. Don’t worry about making it complex since you can draw simple lines for now.
Afterward, you can use the black paint and fill in the eyes as well as apply it to the mouth’s contour for definition. Then, shift your attention to the eyes again to make the eyelids white using the thin paintbrush. This helps create the baby look of Yoda.
You have to be a bit creative in the following steps because it’s necessary to paint skin details above and below the eyes and around the mouth. Next, you can draw small white circles on the black of the eyes.
Lastly, you have to do baby Yoda’s ears. Get the two pieces of cardboard, draw one ear on one piece, and then use it as a template to make an identical second ear. Carefully cut out the ears using scissors.
Now, it’s time to paint the ears. You have to mix the orange and pink colors and maybe a bit of white to obtain the light peach. Then, you have to blend it with the green.
While the paints dry off, make two creases on both sides of the pumpkin using a cutter so that you can glue the ears in. And that’s it! We suspect that you already love your work. Trust us, your kids will, too.
19. Day of the Dead Pumpkin
The Day of the Dead is an evergreen Halloween theme that numerous people adopt for their parties and costumes. If you are one of them, be sure to check out this cool pumpkin concept. You might want to decorate multiple pumpkins in this manner.
To begin, use a pencil to draw a round or elliptical face to one side of the pumpkin. The shape should match the shape of your pumpkin. You can then use a paintbrush to fill the shape white.
Let it dry off, during which you can prepare another, thinner paintbrush. Dip it in black paint and use it to draw the eyes, nose, and mouth by following the pattern shown in this picture.
In the following steps, you can draw the remaining details in black, as well as paint the pink and blue details. If you want to make a replica of the pumpkin shown in this image, get a bouquet of real or artificial flowers to glue it to the top of the pumpkin (near the stem).
If you want to make several pumpkins this way, we encourage you to experiment with various patterns and colors, even for the flower bouquet. And, if you use miniature pumpkins for this project, you will be able to set them as table centerpieces.
20. Carving and Painting Pumpkin
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty by carving the pumpkin before painting it, check out this super-easy concept that anyone can bring to life, even your children. It can be done in a matter of minutes.
Get started by obtaining a pumpkin. Any size will do, but we suggest going with something bigger. Then, you can carve the eyes, nose, and mouth only by sticking to the design showcased in the picture. Don’t worry about making any mistakes since anything will be fine.
After you are done carving, get a paintbrush, open a can of black paint, and draw on the outside of the contour when it comes to the facial expressions. Afterward, you can throw in some white paint to fill in the blanks. You don’t necessarily have to stick to black and white paints since any colors will do. If you have a specific party theme in mind for Halloween, make sure to stick to it.
21. Scared Cat Pumpkin Painting Tutorial for Kids
Here is a super easy take on Halloween pumpkins, where you just need a bit of paint and a paintbrush. It’s fun and simple to do, so you can have your entire family join in, especially if you want to paint several pumpkins in this manner.
Check out this awesome YouTube video tutorial made by Better Homes and Gardens to find out the exact steps you need to take to paint a stencil scared cat on a regular pumpkin.
Firstly, you need to obtain the silhouette stencil in the shape of a cat. If you do not trust your drawing skills, it’s fine since you can look up various designs on the Internet, print the one you like best, and use it as a template.
Cut out the design after printing and, using some tape, attach it to the pumpkin. Then you can use a pencil or a Sharpie marker to draw around the stencil to create the cat’s contour on the pumpkin.
All that’s left to be done is to open a can of black paint, dip your paintbrush, and fill in the silhouette with black. As you can see, it’s incredibly easy and fast. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a cat since you can draw anything on a pumpkin.
And it doesn’t have to be black either since you can use any color. If the orange of the pumpkin doesn’t match the stencil, you can completely change its appearance by painting it in another color to obtain a better background for the stencil.
22. Smiling Dead Pumpkin
Check out this simple smiling dead pumpkin design that involves a bit of carving. It’s a great way to prepare decorations for Halloween, whether you are throwing a party or just planning to greet trick-or-treaters.
In the image displayed, the pumpkin’s facial expressions have been slightly carved out to create a more compelling effect when it comes to painting the eyes, nose, and mouth. It looks pretty realistic.
You can use a pumpkin of any size, but you might get better results when using a miniature pumpkin. Black and white paints were used here to highlight the facial elements, but you can choose any colors that go well with your Halloween theme.
Even if you don’t like the pumpkin’s color, whether it’s orange or white, you can paint it anything else. Just make sure to use some plastic covers to protect the surface from paints. Also, allow it to dry off before starting to work on the facial elements.
23. Frozen Olaf Pumpkin Tutorial
Frozen remains one of the most beloved movies made by Disney. If you want to surprise your children for Halloween, be sure to check out this awesome YouTube tutorial made by the Disney Family to paint a pumpkin in the shape of Olaf.
You need to find a template picture of Olaf and print it on your computer to get started. Then, put it on carbon paper and attach it to the pumpkin using tape. You can now trace the outline with the help of a pen to create Olaf’s shape.
After removing the paper, get a paintbrush, dip it in light blue paint, and outline Olaf. Let the paint dry off, and then use white, blue, brown, and orange paints to fill in the blanks – watch the YouTube video tutorial to discover the correct order.
Once the paints dry off, you can admire the results and start working on another Disney character. For example, if you want to paint pumpkins in the style of other Frozen characters, such as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff.
24. Artistic Pumpkins
If you want to take an artsy approach when throwing a Halloween party, you should look into these ultra-colorful pumpkins. The idea is to mix a bunch of paints to create an astonishing effect. Or, you can paint an entire pumpkin black and then draw floral designs using a thin paintbrush.
Just be careful with your surroundings since it’s necessary to protect the surfaces from paint using some plastic covers. Also, you should let the paint dry off completely before applying a new coat or a different paint.
25. Pirate Pumpkin
Here is another great pumpkin painting idea that you can try out for Halloween: a pirate. It’s an easy project for the entire family, particularly since you don’t have to carve any holes.
As far as supplies are concerned, you need a large pumpkin, a paintbrush, black paint, and a Sharpie marker. You can draw the facial expressions by hand using the Sharpie marker or if you want to obtain a sharp nose, mouth, and eyes, it’s best to use a stencil.
Just look up pirate faces on the Internet, download the design you like best, print it out, cut out the blank spaces, and then tape them to the pumpkin. Next, you just have to dip the paintbrush in black and paint the eyes, nose, and mouth.
While waiting for the paint to dry off, you can add a pirate’s hat to the pumpkin. If you want to firmly attach it, you can use a hot glue gun. We are sure that your kids will love the results.
26. Cartoon Pumpkin Couple
If you want to keep your kids busy with Halloween decorations, check out this adorable design for pumpkins. The picture showcases a couple of cartoon characters: boy and girl. However, this should not stop you from creating additional cartoon characters.
When it comes to supplies, you will need pumpkins, paintbrushes, a Sharpie marker, and paints in various colors. Black, white and red are a must. If you don’t have pink, you can create it by mixing red with a bit of white.
You start by drawing the eyes, nose, and mouth using the Sharpie marker. Then, you can paint them in black and white before applying the red and pink paints. Let the paints dry off before you can admire the results.
27. Gold Pumpkins
If you are organizing a Halloween party for grown-ups and are looking for various ideas to make it as glamorous as possible, don’t miss out on this classy idea when it comes to an ensemble of pumpkins.
Get a medium-sized and a large pumpkin, together with gold metallic spray paint. You also need some plastic covers to put on top of the surface where you want to decorate the pumpkin to protect it from paint. If you have a yard, it’s best to take it outside.
Next, open your can of gold metallic paint and spray the top half. Let the paint dry off, and then apply a new layer if you feel that it is necessary. Afterward, you can flip the pumpkin over to spray paint the remaining half. Don’t forget to also include the stem.
The hardest part is waiting for the paint to dry off. But you don’t have to add any more details since that would only clutter the design. You can set this cool ensemble as a table centerpiece.
28. Vampire Bat Pumpkin Tutorial
We think that this is a cool idea for painting a pumpkin for Halloween if you are into bats. Just check out this YouTube video tutorial made by HGTV to discover the simple instructions. It’s a great project for the entire family, and it involves two pumpkins instead of one.
As far as supplies are concerned, you will need a large and a small fake pumpkin (not carved), fake vampire teeth, a pencil, a carving knife, black spray paint, black glitter, black foam sheets, a pair of scissors, a hot glue gun, decoupage adhesive, and floral wires.
Start with the small pumpkin. Get the fake teeth, place them on the pumpkin, draw the contour with a pencil, and then cut a hole for the teeth using a carving knife. Next, cut a hole at the bottom of the pumpkin, which is large enough to perfectly fit the stem of the large pumpkin.
For the following step, you should probably use some plastic covers to protect the surface from paints. If you have a yard, it’s best to step outside since you will need to spray paint both pumpkins black. It might be necessary to use more than one tube of spray paint. Just make sure to cover them in black paint, including the stems. Then, wait for the paint to dry off before touching the pumpkins.
While waiting for the paint to dry, draw the vampire’s wings and ears on a black foam sheet, to cut them with scissors. When it comes to size, these elements should be proportional to the pumpkins: the wings will fit the large pumpkin and the ears will go into the small one. You should have four identical pieces of black foam sheet – two parts (the front and back) for each wing when it comes to the wings.
To make the ears, fold the foam sheet into a cone after cutting it, and then use the hot glue gun to stick the ends together. Add some decoupage adhesive to the wings and ears, which will help hold black glitter in place, so make sure to add it while it’s still wet.
Now, use the carving knife to make two holes on the two sides of the large pumpkin, where the wings will go. Cut and shape the floral wires to match the size of the wings before inserting them into the two holes.
Then you can attach the wings to the wires using the hot glue gun. Just add glue to one side of each part of the wings (four parts) before attaching them to the wires. It looks like a wing is held together by a wire, but the wire is not visible because it’s covered by black sheet foam on each side.
As far as the small pumpkin is concerned, what’s left to do is make two small creases on each side of the stem, to fit the ears. Then you can place the small pumpkin on top of the large one to finally have your vampire pumpkin.
We know the text-based instructions sound a bit tedious, but it’s a lot easier when visualizing the tutorial. And we think that the results are amazing!
29. Jack-O-Lantern No Pumpkin Idea
Check out this cool pumpkin painting tutorial for Halloween, where you do not have to use a vegetable to decorate a Jack-O-Lantern. You can make the pumpkin out of a large bowl. Find out all the steps you need to take in this YouTube video tutorial created by Christopher Hiedeman.
In addition to a large glass bowl, you will need tissue paper, a pair of scissors, glue, medical gloves, drywall compound, orange acrylic paint (spray can), black paint, red paint, transparent acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and twigs.
Start by cutting three triangles out of the tissue paper to turn them into the eyes and nose of the Jack-O-Lantern. When it comes to the smile, get the shape right, as shown in the YouTube video. Afterward, you can attach the facial elements to the glass bowl using glue.
In the following step, put on your medical gloves and apply the drywall compound to the glass bowl. Make sure to cover all parts, except for the ones with tissue paper. You do not need to worry about decorating the inner part of the bowl at this point.
Keep in mind that the drywall compound remains in the state you apply it to, so your strokes will stand out on the pumpkin. Stick to the video tutorial to make sure that you are getting it right. When it comes to the cheeks, for instance, you can make circles.
After the drywall compound sits for a few minutes, open the can of orange acrylic paint to spray the whole glass bowl orange. But do not touch the tissue paper. While waiting for the paint to dry off, you can prepare a thin paintbrush by dipping it in black paint so that you can start painting the pumpkin’s facial expressions, namely the eyes, nose, and teeth.
Then, you can use another paintbrush to draw some other facial features red, like the cheeks and contour of the mouth. Once the design is done, add a coat of transparent acrylic paint to the entire pumpkin. You can put the twigs and other decorative elements inside. We are certain that you will love the results – all without using a real or artificial pumpkin.
30. Dollar Tree DIY Pumpkin Makeover
Check out this interesting approach toward decorating a pumpkin for Halloween. It involves air-dry modeling clay and is incredibly easy to make, thanks to this user-friendly YouTube video tutorial provided by Jay Munee DIY.
As far as supplies are concerned, you need to buy some artificial pumpkins from your local crafting store, gold spray paint or other colors, white, pink, or other solid colors for the pumpkin, glitter, tissue paper, bead, and hot glue gun.
Begin by making pumpkin steps from air-dry modeling clay by following the easy technique shown in this tutorial. When the stems are done, you can paint them with gold spray or another favorite color.
In the following stage, shift your attention to the pumpkins, which need to be painted a solid color. Choose white, pink, black, or anything else that goes well with your Halloween theme. Also, it’s a good idea to use plastic covers to protect the surface from paint.
It might be necessary to apply several coats of paint to obtain a solid color. Then, carefully wait for the paint to dry off before admiring your work. You can also add glitter or make shapes out of tissue paper. There are a lot of options to play with here, so be sure to explore your creative side.
31. Pumpkin Hearts
If you and your significant other want to take a romantic approach toward hosting your first Halloween party together, you might be interested in an easy idea like the one showcased by @carolinegardnerofficial, where you can paint simple hearts on pumpkins.
It will not take a lot of your time, and you will decorate wholesome pumpkins that represent you as a couple. Besides, it’s a pretty good idea for an intimate Halloween event.
When it comes to materials, you will need pumpkins, paints of any color, together with paintbrushes. Start by painting an entire pumpkin in a specific color of your choice, whether it’s white, black, pink, or something else. You will need a larger paintbrush to get it done quickly, and you should also put some plastic covers on the floor to protect it from paint.
Paint the first half of a pumpkin, wait for it to dry off, then flip it over to paint the other half. It might be necessary to apply several coats of paint to obtain better results. Just make sure to wait for the paint to dry between coatings.
Then, you can use a thinner paintbrush, dip it in black, red, or another color, then draw hearts and fill them with color. Of course, you are free to paint any romantic shapes or patterns you want.
32. Floral Pumpkins
Check out this cute concept for decorating Halloween pumpkins that artists will surely love. It’s made by @sandra_shaw_art and showcases floral paintings. There’s no recipe involved since you have to put your creativity and painting skills to the test.
When it comes to materials, you need miniature pumpkins, paints, and paintbrushes. You start by painting the entire pumpkins in a solid color, depending on what you prefer. Make sure to cover the whole area.
However, the stem could be painted differently so that it stands out. Then, get your thin paintbrush and start drawing the flowers. As far as colors are concerned, be sure that they match your Halloween theme.
33. Muted Color Heirloom Pumpkins
Nothing says classy more than muted color heirloom pumpkins when it comes to Halloween decorations. The idea is to keep the designs as simple as possible: one color is enough. But the trick is obtaining muted colors by mixing regular colors with white.
Learn all about this awesome technique in this simple YouTube video tutorial made by So Much Better With Age. It’s certainly a choice for grownups who find bright colors to be too loud.
You begin by cutting the stem and painting the whole pumpkin in white. Unlike other ideas we have seen so far, you do not need to worry about adding multiple coats of paint at this stage
In the following step, you use a muted color or combine two shades like teal and khaki, to apply it to the entire pumpkin over the white. If you do not have muted colors, pick a regular color and combine it with white and other light colors until you find the most comfortable shade.
After doing so, it’s recommended to apply a thin coat of white paint as a finishing thought. You can also use a piece of cloth or tissue paper to get rid of any excess paint and make your pumpkins shiny.
34. Fall Floral Pumpkin Decor
Here is another classy Halloween decoration idea for pumpkins if you are throwing a party for grownups who are not necessarily fans of classical pumpkins. This YouTube video tutorial made by Desert Mirrors Shop shows you everything you need to know to accomplish this project.
When it comes to materials, make sure you have artificial miniature pumpkins, flowers, spray paint, paintbrushes, a hot glue gun, as well as a pair of scissors or wire cutters. We suggest following the instructions to create an ensemble since it will be more impressive than a single pumpkin.
Start by choosing a solid color and applying it to the entire pumpkin with a paintbrush. Let the paint dry off before adding a new coat to obtain the solid-color look. Then, pick another color and paint only the top half of the same pumpkin. If you prefer the two-tone look, you can also include the stem. Otherwise, pick a third color for the stem.
Now, shift your attention to the flowers. If you do not like their original colors, you can spray paint them something else and let them dry. Then you can remove the stems and foliage, glue some leaves to the top of the pumpkin, and carefully glue the flowers while creating a beautiful arrangement. If there are any blank spaces visible, you can fill them with any remaining flowers.
35. Watermelon Pumpkin
This is an awesome concept for people who want to decorate a Halloween pumpkin without actually using a pumpkin. Instead, you can take the ingenious approach and use a watermelon. You will surely surprise your friends, family, and guests.
It’s an incredibly easy project, especially since there is no carving or painting involved. Get a watermelon and use a Sharpie marker to draw the eyes, nose, mouth, and any other facial elements of a cartoon character. If you want to add a bit more color than black, you can also use white and red.
36. Pumpkin Painting Ideas with Fluorescent Paint
Putting awesomely decorated pumpkins out on your porch is all well and good until the sun sets and no one can see them in the darkness. That’s why the glow of a jack-o-lantern has always been a classic choice, but we know that not everyone wants to work with sharp knives near their little kids. Instead, we’d encourage you to take a look at howSimple Fun for Kids opted to paint their pumpkins using glow-in-the-dark paint that gives a similar but unique spooky glow to your October porch once the sun sets!
37. Sage Green Painted pumpkins
If you’re going to decorate pumpkins for either your homeor your porch, would you rather go with a look that’s slightly more subtle and suitable to your existing decor scheme, or perhaps just the wider fall season instead of Halloween specifically? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll find these lovely sage green painted pumpkins outlined in simple detail on So Much Better with Age very pleasing indeed.
38. Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas – Color-Dipped
Maybe the pumpkins you purchased are already a nice, light, and quite neutral colour that you appreciate, but you can’t help wondering whether you might add a simple pop of color to them? Well, you could quite easily just paint one section of the, or you could take a fun leaf out ofSweet C Designs‘ book and do a little bit of paint dipping with their bottom half instead! We love their bright, differently shaded color blocking effect in the finished product since they made so many.
39. Pumpkin Painting Ideas – Stripes
Perhaps you’re actually feeling quite enthusiastic about the idea of painting your pumpkins. You’re open to trying out all different kinds of patterns and visual textures. Still, you’d also like to pay more seasonal attention the color scheme, rather than just choosing the same bright blocked colors you might use all year round? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at howGorgeous Crafts painted all kinds of different designs across their pumpkins, all while sticking to a black, white, and gold theme.
40. Easy Pumpkin Painting
Are you actually a pretty big fan of the idea we showed you above, but you’re hoping to find some help with designs that look a little more chic and decor based than what they put forward? Maybe you’re just of the opinion that a pure white is too stark a contrast in that combination for what your home already looks like. Either way, we think you might have a little more success with something like this black, gold, andcream tutorial fromBubby & Bean.
41. Cool Pumpkin Painting Ideas – Go Messy
Are you actually quite an enthusiastic hand painter, or perhaps the parent of budding artists, and to you, the idea of painting a pumpkin is just like creating fun visuals on a slightly more unconventional canvas than usual? Then you just might be the perfect person to make something like these brightly colored and wildly patterned Halloween messy pumpkins outlined step by step on Alisa Burke!
42. Cute Painting Ideas – Pink Plaid
Just in case you’re still in the market for something cute and fall-themed but a little more colorful than some suggestions, rather than just a Halloween-themed pumpkin design, here’s another suggestion that’s nothing short of adorable! Take a better look at Dimples and Tangles to learn how they carefully color mixed and hand-painted to make these gingham pumpkins.
43. Finger Paint Easy Halloween Pumpkin Painting Idea
IN your house are the projects that always go over with the most success definitely the ones that involve getting a little more hands-on and messy than usual? In that case, we have astrong feeling that these adorable fingerprint pumpkins outlined onHandmade Charlotte might be just the kind of thing you’re looking for! We love the way they show you how to keep things specifically fall-themed with their fingerprint jack-o-lantern design, but also how they show you other fun, randomly patterned options, like pineapples and cacti.
44. Scary Painted Pumpkins
Just in case you’ve already planned on carving a simple, classic jack-o-lantern with your kids but you just can’t help wondering whether you might take the whole design to the next step, here’s an awesome resource that shows you how carved pumpkins can be jazzed up with a bit of paint as well! Check out howCG Cookie walks you through not only the painting process but a bit of color theory in order to get certain finished shades over your pumpkin’s orange skin. We’re particularly big fans of the idea of using metallic orange paint to add a bit of sparkle and shine to the classic shade!
45. Textured Painted Pumpkins
Are you feeling rather in love indeed with this whole idea of decoratively painted pumpkins but you can’t help feeling like you want to embellish or jazz them up evenmore once the paint has dried? In that case, we think you’llreally appreciate the wayLovely Little Life opted to add a little bit of glam and texture by adding things like metallic confetti, glitter, and embossing powder to their pumpkins’ surfaces once their painting was all done.
46. Watercolour Painted Pumpkin
Are you a firm believer that the fact that you’re painting on a pumpkin is already fall enough, so you’re willing to take free rein when it comes to the patterns and colours you choose in your painting design? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll really appreciate the waySmitha Katti chose to put their painting skills to good use by creating flowers all over theirs! We love the watercolour painting style and how clearly they show you how to try it out yourself.
47. Minion Painted Pumpkin
By now, any parent with kids of a certain age will be more than just a little bit familiar with Minions. They’ve gone beyond just being a character from a movie; they’re practically a pop culture phenomenon at this point! That’s why we thought this idea fromCraftberry Bush for hand painting a Minion across the surface of a pumpkin, especially a taller, oblong looking one, was such a funny idea! They even show you how to make and add a goggle-eye using the lid from an old mason jar.
48. Disney Halloween Painted Pumpkin
Have wereally caught your attention now with this talk of painting and embellishing a pumpkin that looks like a character from one of your kids’ favourite movies, but you know they’ve never really gotten into the Minion craze? Then perhaps you’d have a little more luck helping them use their pumpkins, some paint, and some paper to bring Nemo fromFinding Nemo to life instead!Creating Really Awesome Fun Things has all the steps outlined for you.
49. Monogrammed Cool Pumpkin Painting Idea
Are you still thinking about how much you love the idea of making all different pumpkins that still suit each other and appear to match, but you just haven’t seen an idea that jumped out at you yet? Well, if you’ve ever been a big fan of monograms then we think you might prefer something like this polka-dotted, diamond, and lettered pumpkin trio outlined with full simple instructions on Grits & Giggles!
50. Scary Pumpkin Painting Idea
Perhaps you actually really like the idea of giving your pumpkin a scary face like you would if you were going to carve a jack-o-lantern but, being the talented artist you are, you can’t help lamenting that the level of detail you get when you paint doesn’t translate over into your carving skills? Then we have a feeling you’ll much prefer to just paint your scary face right onto the surface of your pumpkin, just likeMakin’ Bacon did here!
Final Thoughts on Pumpkin Painting Tutorials
As you can see, there are numerous ideas to explore when it comes to painting pumpkins for Halloween parties. You can go with a funny or scary theme, choose decorations that your children will love, or organize an event solely for grownups. Sky’s the limit, and you just have to put your creativity to the test.
Regardless of which pumpkin painting tutorial you end up following, be sure to later return to this page and leave us a comment in the section below where you can post your photos. Also, feel free to share any other awesome ideas we have missed and which you think can be added to this article.