Painting Pumpkins

Halloween is a time-honored tradition in the United States that was originally started by Irish immigrants. It is a fun and exciting holiday for most Americans, especially with the kids, for wearing costumes and trick-or-treating from house to house. And, of course, the carving of the popular jack-o-lantern using pumpkins.

Aside from carving a jack-o-lantern, there are other options to use a pumpkin without carving it. These are the no-carve pumpkins or simply painting pumpkins that are becoming more popular each year. This is because jack-o-lanterns can mold or quickly start to decay right after you carve them, while painting pumpkins can stay the whole season without worries of starting to decay during the festival.

So, in case you got interested in painting your pumpkins instead, then try reading the list below for more detailed steps and guidelines in painting your pumpkins.

Preparing the Materials

Now, suppose you become interested in the no-carve or painting pumpkins. In that case, you should try checking the materials you need to acquire before starting your holiday project.

1. Paint Brush. The best paintbrush for painting is the foam brush that easily paints pumpkins.

2. Acrylic Sealer. You can either use a spray type or brush on it doesn’t matter. You will use this sealer at the start, and the end of your painting works on the pumpkin.

3. Acrylic Paints. Make sure that you have a variety of colors.

4. Pumpkins. It is for Halloween, so you better not forget this as pumpkins will be like your canvass for your art.

5. Drop Cloth or Used Newspaper. This is used for covering surfaces of your work area to prevent any paint drops. Well, who would want a messy workplace in the first place?

6. Decorative or Crafting Items. There is a lot of stuff you can choose from, from binding materials together to small crafting items and to utilizing parts of a puppet. 

Procedures in Painting Pumpkins

Simply follow all these step-by-step instructions in painting your pumpkins. And this list will make your painting works a lot easier.

1. Prepare Your Workspace. Find a good place to paint your pumpkins, then set the workplace up. Just make sure to grab some used newspapers to cover the surface of your work area in case of paint drops.

2. Prepare Your Pumpkin. Select a pumpkin that has no soft spots and is free of bruises. Gently wipe off the dirt and debris from the skin of the pumpkin.

3. Never Forget to Apply a Base Sealer Coat. Apply your first sealer coat on the pumpkin. Try to apply at the first half, then let it dry for a couple of minutes before applying it to the second half. Then before doing the next step, allow the base sealer coat to dry for a couple of minutes.

4. Start Painting. This step may consume a lot of time since you will need to wait for the paint to dry first before proceeding to the second half of the pumpkin, which is pretty similar to the process of applying a base sealer coat. Try to look at your painted pumpkin at all sides and angles. If it needs a second coating, then repeat this same step. Once the paint on both sides of the pumpkin is dry, you can proceed to the next step.

5. Always Apply a Top Sealer Coat. After painting your pumpkin, do not forget to apply a top sealer coat. Simply repeat the procedure when applying a base sealer coat to the pumpkin, and you should not have any problems.

6. Start Decorating. This step usually depends on your design. If your design includes decoration using paint, then you are already finished. On the other hand, if you want a different decoration on the pumpkin other than paint, then you better start grabbing a few items. These few items to start your decoration may include a pair of googly eyes, glue gun, glue stick, crafting foam, tape, or other decorative items you need.

Selecting a particular pattern or decoration on the pumpkin may differ on your preferences. But, regardless of the design, you should always follow these simple steps of painting your pumpkins to ensure good quality and long-lasting effects of the paint on the pumpkin.