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You are here: Home / Papercrafts / How to Paint Pumpkins (the Right Way)

How to Paint Pumpkins (the Right Way)

32 Comments

Today I am going to share a quick tutorial regarding how to paint pumpkins. Did you know there’s a right way and a wrong way to paint a pumpkin? Seriously! The first time we painted pumpkins, we did it the wrong way. The paint ended up flaking all over the table and the poor gourd never made it to Halloween. Lesson learned!

How to Paint Pumpkins: Pumpkin with Foam Brush, Mod Podge and Black Paint

What did we do wrong? Well, we didn’t seal the pumpkin – not before and not after. To really do this right, you have to do both. You can use a spray sealer or one that you apply with a brush. For a recent project (see our spooky Vampire Pumpkin Bats), the Little Monster and I used Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer – it’s what we had on hand and it worked.

A couple more tips – make sure you pick pumpkins that are free of blemishes and soft spots. Gently wipe off any dirt before getting started. And if you have time (we didn’t), it helps to put the pumpkin in a sunny windowsill for a week or two to cure.

Here’s what you need:

  • paintbrush (the cheap-o foam brushes work great for this)
  • acrylic sealer (spray or brush on)
  • acrylic paints

Painted Mini Pumpkin Bat

The Little Monster and I transformed this gourd into a spooky bat by applying Mod Podge matte sealer with a foam brush. For outdoor pumpkins, I would apply a couple coats of outdoor sealer, such as Aleene’s spray sealer.

How to Paint Pumpkins Step-by-Step Tutorial:

STEP ONE: Prepare Work Area

Set up your work area. Lay down a drop cloth or newspaper to protect your work surface.

STEP TWO: Prep Your Pumpkin

Prepare your pumpkin for painting. Make sure it’s free of bruises and blemishes. Use a soft cloth to gently wipe off any dirt or debris.

STEP THREE: Apply Base Sealer Coat

Apply sealer to your pumpkin. Because the pumpkin is round, you will need to work on it one-half at a time. Apply the sealer to the first half, allow to dry, then apply to the second half. Give the second half time to dry before moving to the next step.

STEP FOUR: Time to Paint!

I should have forewarned you that this is a day long process – but it’s fun, so it’s okay! Apply the paint the same way you did the sealer, working on the pumpkin one half at a time. Allow the first half to completely dry before painting the second half. Allow the second half to dry.

At this point, take a good look at your work. Do you need a second coat? If so, repeat this step.

STEP FIVE: Apply Top Sealer Coat

Same instructions as step three above.

STEP SIX: Decorate

At this point, you might be done, especially if you painted a design on your pumpkin in step four. On the other hand, the real fun may just be starting – if so, pull out your hot glue gun, duct tape, craft foam, googly eyes, or whatever you had in mind – and decorate!

If You Need a Little Inspiration, Check Out These Painted Pumpkins…

Googly Eye Painted Pumpkin
{Googly Eye Pumpkin @coloradoparent}

Kids love googly eyes!  After you paint your pumpkin black, have the kiddos glue on large googly eyes.  As a final touch, outline some of the eyes with glow-in-the-dark puffy paint.

Candy Corn Painted Pumpkin
{Candy Corn Pumpkin @athriftymom}

Use orange, yellow and white craft paint to make candy corn painted pumpkins. For the finishing touch, use a couple pieces of twine to tie a bow around the stem.  

Buffalo Check Painted Pumpkin
{Buffalo Check Pumpkin @positivelysplendid}

If you are crazy for buffalo check prints, why not paint a couple of pumpkins to match your decor?  For this design, paint your pumpkin white, then add gray horizontal and vertical stripes, and finally use black paint where the gray stripes intersect.

Drip Painting Pumpkins
{Drip Painting Pumpkins @momdotcom}

If you don’t mind getting a little messy, try drip painting your pumpkins! For these colorful pumpkins, Mom Dot Crafts and her helpers used milk paint.

Tiny Messages Pumpkins
{Tiny Messages Pumpkins @lovelyindeed}

These tiny message pumpkins would be a fun way to decorate a Halloween buffet table. If you have a very steady hand, you can use a paintbrush to add Halloween phrases – however, a paint pen will make the project even easier. 

So, that’s how you paint a pumpkin – easy, huh! I would also love to hear what you made (or what you are planning to make). Just leave a comment below…

Filed Under: Halloween, Papercrafts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam Smykal says

    September 5, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    Will these pumpkins withstand the outdoor elements?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      September 24, 2019 at 6:50 am

      Hi Pam – They should! Instead of Mod Podge, I would use a couple coats of outdoor sealer, such as Aleene’s spray sealer.

      Reply
      • Zizi says

        October 5, 2019 at 10:19 pm

        Will it be flammable if I used that outdoor sealer?

        Reply
        • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

          October 9, 2019 at 7:48 pm

          Good question Zizi! I personally wouldn’t use candles in a jack o lantern that I have painted and sealed. Perhaps you could use a flameless battery operated candle.

          Reply
      • Shasta says

        October 31, 2019 at 10:10 am

        Modge Podge also has an outdoor spray or paint on sealer. I’ve used it for pumpkins and rock painting. Excellent

        Reply
        • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

          December 5, 2019 at 9:13 pm

          Hi Shasta, Thanks for the info!

          Reply
  2. Sharon says

    September 5, 2019 at 9:48 pm

    I have a question did you use real or fake pumpkins?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      September 24, 2019 at 6:49 am

      Hi Sharon – I used real!

      Reply
  3. Sue says

    September 8, 2019 at 10:57 am

    Beautiful and thanks so much for your inspiration!🎃🎃🎃

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      September 25, 2019 at 7:23 pm

      Thanks Sue!

      Reply
  4. Maureen Baldini says

    September 25, 2019 at 4:41 pm

    I was planning on paining pumpkins with grandchild this weekend. Any suggestions oh using something that won’t take 2 weeks to try. Will just spay sealing at the end do the same thing?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      September 25, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Hi Maureen – The paint will last longer if the pumpkins are sealed in advance, but you can definitely paint them without it. Spraying them at the end will also help. Have fun with your grandkids!

      Reply
  5. Lola says

    October 4, 2019 at 10:23 am

    Question if we seal the pumpkin’s on the morning will they be dry enough to paint in the afternoon then seal agsin late evening. Thank you

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 9, 2019 at 7:45 pm

      They should be!

      Reply
      • Sara Reinstatler says

        October 23, 2019 at 5:16 pm

        Does anyone know if you can bake pumpkins that have been painted?

        Reply
        • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

          December 5, 2019 at 9:14 pm

          I personally would not bake them.

          Reply
  6. Mandy says

    October 5, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    I’ve been painting for years but didn’t think to seal before and I know that will improve them. I do seal after painting. They are easily scratched if you don’t and they look sooo much better after sealing. Thanks for the tips and inspiration!

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 9, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      Thanks Mandy!

      Reply
  7. Erica says

    October 10, 2019 at 7:19 am

    Thanks for the information. I will be doing a craft with little ones and have the styrofoam pumpkins. Do you think I still need to seal them?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 11, 2019 at 8:21 am

      Hi Erica, Unfortunately, I have not painted styrofoam pumpkins before, but I think I will put it on my to do list! If it were me, I would probably seal the pumpkins after painting them. Hope you and the little ones have fun!

      Reply
  8. laura says

    October 12, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    Hi thanks for explaining these steps so well, how many weeks in advance do you usually paint your pumpkins before Halloween?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 14, 2019 at 5:47 am

      Hi Laura, I usually do mine two weeks ahead, give or take…

      Reply
  9. Linda Oatway says

    October 17, 2019 at 3:13 pm

    Do I cut out the shapes I want before or after painting the pumpkin?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 20, 2019 at 8:48 am

      Hi Linda, are you talking about carving the pumpkin? I have not carved a painted pumpkin, but my guess is that you could do it either way.

      Reply
  10. Cris says

    October 20, 2019 at 12:37 pm

    What about a grout sealer would that work?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      October 20, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      Hi Cris, I don’t know. I haven’t tried grout sealer. If you try it, come back and let us know how it went.

      Reply
  11. Robyn Arroyo says

    October 21, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    Hi thanks for this post my question is do you think the pumpkin will still be edible (the inside ofcourse)?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      December 5, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      I wouldn’t bake the pumpkins after they are painted. However, you could probably scoop out the seeds and toast them in the oven.

      Reply
  12. Marifer says

    October 23, 2019 at 2:15 pm

    Hi! If I’m painting fake pumpkins do you still recommend using a sealer?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      December 5, 2019 at 9:14 pm

      I haven’t painted any fake pumpkins, but if it were me, I would seal them.

      Reply
  13. Tamara says

    November 17, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    I’m planning to paint my pumpkins for Christmas — can you give an idea how long they’ll last ? I’m hoping long enough to get through the holidays?

    Reply
    • Dawn @ Scraplifters.com says

      December 5, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      I would estimate 2-3 weeks.

      Reply

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