So you don’t want to carve pumpkins or flood your home with the overzealous purples, greens, and oranges that traditionally flank the stores during the Halloween season? Looking for a way to make your Halloween decorations match your classy adulthood? (I’m laughing at myself because I watched Twitches while making these beauties). This Halloween No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating DIY will give you tips to create your own painted pumpkins that will be as grown up as you. Or just really cute! This is a project for all styles and ages.
Supplies:
- pumpkins (real or fake)
- acrylic paints
- paint brushes & foam brushes
- painters tape (I used washi tape)
- exacto knife
- tablecloth/ drop cloth
- water
- towel
- natural cleaning solution (I used witch hazel)
- patience
Directions:
- Purchase & clean your pumpkins of dirt by wiping them with the towel and with the cleaning solution.
- Choose a theme to decorate your pumpkins. My theme is black, gold, classy and geometric.
- After choosing your theme, decide on a few ways this can be interpreted on the pumpkins. To play up the geometry, on a pumpkin with an even number of ridges I alternated painting them and leaving them blank, resulting in a black and orange pumpkin. I also did a simple design of triangles on one pumpkin. These were free-handed.
- For designs that required more accuracy, use tape to mark off the areas that need to be painted from the areas that are to remain unpainted. After painting, allow paint to dry, and apply as many more coats as necessary to cover the pumpkin.
- When the paint is to your liking and completely dry, you’ll find that trying to peel the paint directly off tears the paint. Therefore, with an exact-o knife, lightly etch a line beneath the tape to help you remove it from the pumpkin.
- Clean up any areas with too much paint by lightly scraping it off, and fix any areas that need more paint or a clean line with small paint brushes.
Painting pumpkins is a fun way to get in the Halloween spirit and have a lasting, fun design to decorate your home with. I hope this tutorial is helpful – don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments below!
What is your favorite way to decorate for Halloween? Will you be painting pumpkins this year?
originally published September 2015
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LOVE this post because I am ALL about the Fall! I painted pumpkins once (and stacked them together) to create a black kitty! Turned out great and I really loved doing it… but you’re right when you say you need patience in the materials! omg.
xx, Karen
Glam Karen
That sounds too cute, Karen! Patience is like the #1 necessary “supply item” lol! It yields great results!!
How cute! What a great idea!
Thanks, Rocky! ๐
I absolutely love these pumpkins! They are super cute! I like that you incorporated gold. Thank you for sharing and I hope you have a happy fall!
Janae
http://www.hiyallblog.blogspot.com
A happy fall to you, too, Janae! And thank you ๐
Love this. I can’t wait to go to a pumpkin patch and pick our pumpkins so we can decorate them.
I haven’t been to a pumpkin patch since I was little, I want to go to one, soon! Thanks, Jasmine! ๐
I’m loving Fall. Now I just need to get my hands on some pumpkins and paint. ๐
Such a cute idea! I love Fall! It is my favorite time to decorate!
I love the metallic gold! this year i just bought a fairytale pumpkin instead of painting any, but if I had, they would have looked something like this!
elle
Southern Elle Style
I LOVE these cute DIY pumpkins! For the last few years I have wanted to tackle this project and you’re giving me just the inspiration I need! Love them! XO
Anna
alilyloveaffair.com
These are all so cute! I would love to use these ideas to paint pumpkins with my little toddler, although her pumpkins wouldn’t look as neat, I still think it would be a fun idea! Thanks!
How cute! These turned out great!
SO precious! I have a ton of washi tape so this would be easy for me! Cute girl!~
What a cute craft! This would be perfect for my hay bale setup that I put by the front door! I love painting pumpkins =)
Oh my word, I love these! They’re just adorable! Now to find some mini pumpkins……
So pretty! Every year I aspire to this and… every year I leave it to the kids. 3 boys. It doesn’t end well.
Bahahaha, but I bet they’ll cherish these moments forever ๐
Yes yes yes definitely doing something like this asap !! You did amazing !
Ooo I love this! I think painted pumpkins are so fun!
http://www.amemoryofus.com
I love the color combination. You did a great job. Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I would add a few jewels and ribbons. Thanks for sharing this project.
Last year was our first year craving pumpkins and it was a lot if fun. We painted pumpkins a few years ago and we might do it again this. Halloween is such a fun holiday ๐
I love painting pumpkins way more than carving! And yours turned out great! Thank you for sharing!
How adorable! I was never good at carving pumpkins, but I think I can take a stab at this adorable DIY!
Thanks for sharing!
xx
Kaylah
I love these! What a modern yet festive way to decorate…I’ll definitely have to try something similar for our front porch. Thanks so much for sharing!
We usually carve our pumpkins but painting looks fun too!
I like painting our pumpkins because it means we can do it in early October and they will still be around for actual Halloween! Love the colors you did.
I love that aspect, too, Becky! Get a head start on the decor and have it last longer! Now if only I could leave them outside lol… This Texas heat would just wilt the poor things during the day lol
I bought some very cute sparkly pumpkins because I failed at carving last year! But I love your painted pumpkins idea! I might have to buy a few minis and try it myself.
What a great post! I love this and am definitely going to try it!!! Thanks for sharing!
Sportsanista
I always wanted to learn now to do this!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Awesome, Chelsea! I hope it works for you! Thanks for stopping by ๐
This would be such a fun activity to do with our children, thanks for the “how to”…love it!
xo,
Brooke | KBStyled
Awww that will turn out so cute with your children’s help, Brooke! Glad you love it ๐
What an awesome post! I love decorating pumpkins so much and it’s probably one of my favorite things to do during the fall because it really sets the mood for the autumn time. Love this DIY! xx, adaatude.com
How fun are these?! I’m so excited for fall and Halloween!
OK so I signed up to do this with a group of girls next week and I am so excited! This is amazing! I am not crafty at all… so we will see how it turns out haha!
xoxo Amanda
The Miller Affect
Lol good luck, Amanda! Crafty or not, you will have a blast and be so proud of yourself when it’s all over!! โบ๏ธ
I love this idea! You’re so creative. I wish I was more crafty. I also LOVE the all-white pumpkins. Painting pumpkins. Who woulda thunk!
Cameron Proffitt
The all white pumpkins are so classy, too! Thank you Cameron ๐
I love that painting pumpkins have become more and more popular because one I was not a fan of the mess carving created, I can deal with a paint mess. The pumpkins also last longer!
xoxo
Brooke
These are soo cute! I’ll have to try some of these designs! I also love the way fake pumpkins look painted for in-home decor!
xo Adriana – Daily Dose of Design
Definitely try that, Adriana! I just saw Target has some VERY similar ones.. and I thought I was being original! Haha =)
How cute! I love classy Halloween crafts, fall is such a fun season for decor!
Molly | Hey There Sunshine
This is such a fun fall craft! If I had the time, I would definitely decorate some pumpkins!
xx,
Amanda || http://www.fortheloveofglitter.com
Love this DIY! Trying this for halloween! Cant wait!
What a great project! I am totally doing this with my youngest daughter and my neice!
That’s awesome, Eileen, I bet they will create the cutest pumpkin designs, ever!
I seriously LOVE this. You’re so creative. I will try to do this for Halloween.
Thank you for sharing your ideas with us.
xxx
You already know how much I love these cute pumpkins! Can’t wait to decorate a few for my house!
I can actually say that I have NEVER painted a pumpkin, but this looks like so much fun! I need to get myself a white and gold pumpkin!
x. Sabrina // Simply Sabrina
That sounds like it will turn out so beautiful, Sabrina! This was my first time painting pumpkins – it was a great experience and I love the outcome!
Those look gorgeous! I love the trendy stripes!
these pumpkins are so darling!! makes me want to be a kid again! well apparently, i don’t even have to be!! who says adults can’t decorate pumpkins too!! i love the black and gold – so chic.
xoxo, Elena Michelle
http://www.anewyorkloveaffair.com