Paint The Town Orange: 21 Creative Pumpkin Painting Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What kind of paint should I use to paint a pumpkin? ›

Thomas agrees and recommends acrylic paint instead of oil-based when painting pumpkins. "It's quick-drying, easy to use, and clean-up is a breeze," she says. "Because acrylic is water-based, if you mess up, you can wipe it off with a rag and start over! Oil-based paint takes a long time to dry and can be fumy.

Using a paintbrush paint two coats of pure white paint to completely cover the pumpkins. I like to hold them by their stems to paint them. Let the paint dry in between coats. After the pumpkins are completely coated with pure white paint set them aside to dry completely.

One of the easiest (and prettiest) ways to decorate your pumpkins carving is painting them with a chalky finish paint. The matte coverage that a chalky finish paint provides is an attractive and versatile option. There are three useful painting methods for this project: patterns, dipped lines, or abstract splatters.

Using acrylic paints, paint your design onto your pumpkin. You can use any tool you like to paint: paintbrushes, cotton swabs, sponges, or cotton balls. Keep a damp cloth at your side to quickly clean off any mistakes. Pretend that you're just painting an ordinary canvas.

Coat the entire pumpkin with an acrylic sealer to keep the decorative paint from peeling. Coat the top half of the pumpkin and let it dry. Flip it over and repeat for the bottom half. You can use either a spray- or brush-on sealer.

A coat of Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Primer in White provides a great base for your color and gives you a longer lasting finish. Place your pumpkin on a drop cloth. Spray on the primer according to the directions on the can.

Choose a paint of your choice and mix in baking soda until you get the consistency you want in the paint. I mixed in about 1 tsp of baking soda but it will really just depend on the size of your pumpkins and how textured you want your paint to be.

The two primary colors needed for orange are red and yellow. "Primary" colors exist naturally and cannot be created by combining other colors. Red, yellow, and blue are the three primary colors, but you'll only need red and yellow to create orange.

With the green pigment fading, other pigments present in the pumpkin's skin become more prominent and visible. One of these pigments is beta-carotene, a type of carotenoid that gives pumpkins their characteristic the classic deep orange color. Beta-carotene is the same pigment that makes carrots orange!

Coordinating colors similar to orange — shades of brown, red or yellow — will make your palette colorful yet harmonious. Shades of blue (the complement, opposite of orange on the color wheel) will create a dynamic, high-energy vibe.

How do you make a sparkle pumpkin? ›

Spray the top and middle portion of a pumpkin with spray adhesive. While the glue is still wet, use a spoon to sprinkle glitter over the sticky surface of the pumpkin. Allow to dry. Tip: Unless you want to glitter the stem, try not to spray it with adhesive.

Find yourself a baby pumpkin (the smallest one you can find) and flip it upside down to make the top of your cupcake. Paint the pumpkin using the color of your favorite icing, stick the pumpkin in a cupcake wrapper, and, while the paint is still drying, add sprinkles (you can also glue them on after the paint dries).

First paint the bottom half/two-thirds of your pumpkins with your donut color. Let dry. Then flip it over and paint a small circle around the stem (and the stem itself, if desired) and let dry. Then paint the unpainted parts with your frosting color.

Step 2: Prepare Pumpkin

Some people choose to paint or spray their pumpkin with a clear gesso, matte medium, or varnish. It's not necessary, but might preserve the pumpkin for longer and help the paint to stick to the surface better. Make sure you let it dry completely if you choose to do this step.

These frightfully fun finger paint designs for pumpkins from Craft Box Girls should get you inspired! Use nontoxic Tulip Soft Fabric Paints and your little one's hands for a creative activity that doesn't require any tricks, but is a total treat to do.

Drying time can take anywhere between 15 minutes to one hour, depending on how thickly you applied the paint. Repeat this process as many times as you like to achieve the hue you are going for. I found the gray pumpkins only required a single coat, while the white pumpkins required two coats.