How to Paint a Pumpkin

Not only does painting a pumpkin allow for more control over the finished product, but it's also a safer alternative for young children who cannot yet handle pumpkin-carving duties. Here are a few easy steps to help you paint a pumpkin.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Brushes
• Poster Paints
• Old Clothes
• Pumpkins
• Pumpkin-carving Sets
• Old Newspapers
• Paper Towels
• Paper Towels
• Stickers
• Pumpkins
• Paper towels

1. Select your pumpkins.

2. Wash them off if they are dirty, then dry the outsides with paper towels.

3. Spread several layers of newspapers on your work surface, and put on a smock or old clothes.

4. Paint the pumpkins as desired using an assortment of washable poster paints and brushes.

5. Let the paint dry.

6. Encourage kids to add stickers to their painted pumpkins if they wish.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint small pumpkins, then deliver them to friends or neighbors as a Halloween treat.

on 11/22/2005 Holding the pumpkin by the stem can cause the stem to snap, which can cause the pumpkin to lose it's glamour.

on 11/22/2005 Do not put water on the stem of the pumpkin to keep it fresher longer!

on 11/22/2005 Glitter paint and stone crystals look incredible at night and can make your pumpkin look elegant and sophisticated! I've used glitter puffy paint to affix 5mm and 7mm Faux stones to pumpkins to create center pieces that can last all the way through New Year's.

on 11/22/2005 Make sure the pumpkin is room temperature. A chilled pumpkin will make the pumpkin sweat, and the paint will run off.

on 11/22/2005 This works for painted and carved pumpkins. Find two gnarly sort of dead branches that resemble spooky arms. Poke a hole on each side of your pumpkin and stick a branch in each hole. You can even hang fake cobwebs and spiders from them.