Watch out for any soft spots in the pumpkin because that may be a sign of rot. You want your pumpkin to be fresh and to last as long as possible. Almost any variety of pumpkin can be painted, but the following are especially good: Baby Pam, Sugar Pie, Neon, Lumina, or Cotton Candy.
Take care not to get the stem area (top) or the blossom end (bottom) of the pumpkin wet. This can cause the pumpkin to rot.
Let the shape of your pumpkin inspire your design. For example, a squarish pumpkin could become Frankenstein’s head. Who says painting pumpkins is just for Halloween? You can paint your pumpkin to echo a fall theme, such as painting leaves or scarecrows, or just paint something completely random on your pumpkin. Have fun with painting your pumpkin and paint a self-portrait or a portrait of a member of your family.
Use a brush to apply a liberal coat of sealer evenly to the entire surface of the pumpkin, and allow to dry thoroughly. Clean this brush thoroughly if you plan on using it for painting. Give the sealer time to dry before you move on to paint the pumpkin.
Pick a color that complements your design. If you’re drawing a goblin, pick an eerie green color for your background. Paint your pumpkin in sections, allowing each to dry before moving on to the next. This way, you won’t be stuck holding a pumpkin dripping with wet paint. Watch out for the wet paint on the bottom. Make sure you don’t set the pumpkin down on its bottom when the bottom is wet, or it will stick.
To keep the pattern or stencil steady, it might help to tape it in place. To create straight lines, stripes, or shapes, tape pieces of masking tape to your pumpkin in the desired pattern. Optional: Use transfer paper (graphite paper) to trace your design. Transfer paper is a popular craft product used to transfer a design or pattern onto any surface. Here’s how to use the transfer paper: Print out or draw your design on a piece of paper. Tape a piece of transfer paper to the pumpkin. Tape the paper with your design on top of the transfer paper. Use a pencil to trace the outlines of the design. When you’re finished, remove the two layers of paper, and you’ll find the outline of your design traced onto the pumpkin.
If you are using light colored paints, you may need to add additional coats. Make sure your paint is thoroughly dry before adding layers on top. Make sure that the design covers all of the visible parts of the pumpkin so you’re not just tracing it onto the front. Step back to admire your pumpkin to see how much of it is actually visible.
Glue yarn or raffia around the stem of the pumpkin for hair. Sprinkle glitter on wet paint to add sparkle. Using glue dots, a glue gun or craft glue, add googly eyes, sequins, rhinestones, pom poms, beads, or craft foam shapes. Top your pumpkin with a hat for a final touch.
If you’re placing it outside, try to keep it out of direct sunlight or heat to make it last longer.
