Genius Pumpkin Painting Ideas That Will Make You Do a Double Take (2024)

Mix and match. The amber glass vessels evoke the colors of the season, while the old-school labels on the squash (think“cyanide”) serve up an “evil lab” kind of spooky.

To make the squash version: Remove the stem from a Honeynut squash and use a pumpkin carving tool to hollow out a hole and insert a cork. Use Mod Podge to attach apothecary labels.

These DIY shimmering leaves look great on blue-hued or green pumpkins such as Jarrahdale, Blue Doll, Blue Moon, and Fairytale.

To make: Attach silver leaf with sizing to one side of fake or real leaves (alternatively, you can spray paint leaves silver). Once dry, spray adhesive spray on the back of the leaves and attach to pumpkins.

Greet trick-or-treaters and well-wishers with a wheelbarrow stuffed full of painted and decoupaged pumpkins bearing leaf motifs. Bulk up the display with no extra work by including loads of pumpkins in varying sizes and colors.

To make decoupage leaves: Cut out leaves and flowers from new or vintage wallpaper or wrapping paper. Decoupage to pumpkins using Mod Podge.

To make outlined painted leaves: Use a leaf-shaped stencil to paint fall-colored leaves on green, blue, or white pumpkins. Once dry use a white paint pen to outline the leaves, add veining, and decorative details.

Adding paint to an etched faux bois (the artistic imitation of wood) pumpkin helps the colors pop adding fun flair to this sophisticated design.

To make: Lightly sketch a faux bois pattern on a pumpkin with a pencil. Use a linoleum carving tool to etch out the pattern. Once complete, paint unetched part of the pumpkin with acrylic paint. If you get any paint in the etched grain you can remove it up with the carving tool once dry.

We've brought old-school country to the pumpkin! Get your paint pens out and get drawing.

To make: Lightly draw a stencil pattern around the center of a medium-size white pumpkin. Use black, orange, and yellow paint pens to cover drawing.

The natural color of the pumpkin shines through on these reverse image pumpkins.

To make: Start by laying down lengths of painter’s tap, overlapping the lengths so they stick to one another, on a self-healing mat, creating a “sheet” that is slightly larger than the image you wish to create. Draw desired image (we did a lantern, cat’s face, and headstone) on tape. Cut out drawing using an X-Acto knife. (You can go back and add details such as the cat eyes, RIP, and lightning bolts later using a paint pen.) Carefully adhere cutouts to the pumpkin, being sure the edges are pressed firmly down. Paint pumpkin with black spray paint; allow to dry completely. Once dry, carefully remove cutout. Add details with paint pen and lengths of black pipe cleaner with hot-glue for cat’s whiskers.

Celebrate farm living with this spooktacular farm-scene pumpkin.

To make: Start by laying a large oblong pumpkin on its side and lightly draw a line the length of the pumpkin one-third of the way from the bottom. Lightly draw a farm scene (barn, windmill, moon, tractor, and hay bales) above the line. Paint the bottom third of the pumpkin with black acrylic paint, using the line as a guide. Use a white paint pen to color in the moon. Use a gray paint pen to add detail to the moon, if desired. Use black paint pen to color in the scene, free handing corn stalks and flying bats.

While we'd be impressed if you could paint these pumpkins, here, you'll be using Mod Podge to bring them to life. Those printed vintage wrapper designs are so easy to source.

To make: Print copies of candy labels from Pinterest; cut into 1-inch strips. Attach to pumpkins using Mod Podge, working to line up the design as best as possible.

What better way to dole out candy to trick-or-treaters than with a pumpkin scale? (No, it doesn't actually work...but when it looks this adorable, who's going to mind?)

To make: Cut a large hole in back of a medium pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Remove all flesh so it’s light enough to hang. Trace hanging scale template on pumpkin, sizing up or down as needed. Etch out where indicated. Paint over remaining design with black oil pen. Attach peel-and-stick numbers. Drill holes in two sides of large ice scoop. Attach two equal lengths of chain with small S hooks. Attach third length to handle; attach to bottom of pumpkin with T-pins. Drill small hole in top of pumpkin. Cut a 1" dowel the width of inside top of pumpkin. Tie rope around dowel, insert dowel in pumpkin, and feed rope through hole; hang.