How to Draw a Pumpkin

Pumpkins are the epitome of autumn, the base for jack-o'-lanterns and the prime ingredient for firm, sweet slices of pumpkin pie. Their fun orange color and shape make them amusing and simple to draw. You can draw a pumpkin with a few simple steps that will have your gourd looking so delicious you’ll want to eat it right off the page.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen or other drawing instrument
• Orange marker or other coloring device

Instructions

1. 

   Illustrate the stem. Draw a rough triangular or vertical rectangular shape in the center top of your page to depict the pumpkin’s stem. Don’t worry about making it too precise, as you can recall many pumpkin stems that are twisted, bent or otherwise an odd shape.

2. 

   Draw the pumpkin's outline. A rough circle that dips in a bit at the stem and the bottom will work as a pumpkin. Even pumpkins that appear perfectly round have a bit of a dip at the stem and the base. Emulate that with two lines that curve outward from the top and meet at the bottom.

3. 

   Make interior lines. A series of lines should branch from the pumpkin’s stem to the base, following the curve of the pumpkin’s outline. Think of the grooves in any pumpkin you see. They are never completely smooth.

4. 

   Add pumpkin details. Fill the stem piece in with shading or a line design to make it darker than the pumpkin. Put a few swirly lines and rough triangles to serve as vines surrounding the stem. Use shading with the side of your pencil or by drawing short lines close together on one side of the interior lines.

5. 

   Color it up. You can leave your pumpkin in black and white, of course, or even shade it light grey. But pumpkins look best when a dash of orange is added. Use paint pens, pastels, crayons, markers or any other orange hue.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are going to add a face to the pumpkin to turn it into a jack-o'-lantern, draw the face before you draw the interior lines.

• If you want to draw a smashed pumpkin, make one side of the pumpkin angle in sharply and have squiggly lines indicating pumpkin innards oozing from the angle.