48 Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas to Try This Year

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated September 09, 2020
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Carson Downing
These aren't your classic carved jack-o'-lanterns. Check out our favorite painted pumpkins featuring the cute and the creepy. Plus, get our best tips for creating Halloween pumpkin decorations and displays.
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Geometric Painted Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing

These neat and tidy ribbons of color are wonderfully at odds with the pumpkin’s irregular contours. We traced the circle with a bowl and used electrical tape ($3, Target) to block out the stripes. The tape’s elasticity lends itself to working around curves.

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Bubble Painted Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing

Bright colors and texture variations give a bubble-painted gourd a marbled effect. We used a white-painted papier-mâché pumpkin ($5, Target) so the delicate paint bubbles would stick. In paper bowls, stir together paint solutions of 4 tablespoons paint, 4 tablespoons water, and 2 tablespoons dish soap. Use a straw to blow lots of bubbles in the solution and gently dip your pumpkin into the foam, working around the pumpkin and between bowls of various colors. We recommend sticking to a limited palette like this range of blues. Dry on waxed paper, then either paint the stem or hot-glue on a real stem.

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Rope Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing

We gave a papier-mâché pumpkin an allover paint job with matte-finish crafts paint then glued on amoeba-like rope “lines” for texture. Lightly pencil on your squiggles, then apply the fabric cording bit by bit with a hot-glue gun. To match the colors just so, dye white cotton cord to match the paint color or mix the paint to approximate a colored cord or thick yarn.

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Easy Painted Pumpkin Ideas

Learn how to make three pretty no-carve Halloween pumpkins. We'll show you how to decorated festive pumpkins using paint, tape, paper, and straws!

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Sugar Skull Pumpkins

Credit: Blaine Moats
Get the free skull pattern

Sugar skulls are known for their creative patterns, accented with bright colors. These Day of the Dead painted pumpkins are bold and striking. White skulls, painted on black painted pumpkins are a combination of spooky and fun. Choose bright accent colors to pop off of the black and white motif.

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Pour Paint Pumpkin

Credit: Jason Donnelly

This painted pumpkin idea is so easy, you'll have it done in just minutes. Simply pour crafts paint unto a faux pumpkin and let it drip down the sides. That's it! We'll show you how to create gorgeous pour paint pumpkin designs in any color scheme you like.

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Unicorn Pumpkin

This precious unicorn painted pumpkin is not limited to being a Halloween decoration; it is so cute you'll want to look at it beyond October 31. If you use a faux pumpkin and faux flowers, that can be the reality. A cute flower crown and an air clay horn are attached to the pumpkin with a hot glue gun. The rosy cheeks are painted with a round sponge brush.

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Splatter Paint Pumpkins

Credit: Carson Downing

Mix colorful paint with a few drops of water. Dip and flick paintbrushes ($6, Michaels) to splatter gourds. For easier cleanup, place pumpkins in a big cardboard box before you tell your kids about Jackson Pollock. Let dry on waxed paper and, if desired, dip the bottom in a solid color.

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Chalk Paint Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing

The key to the raised letters on this pumpkin painting idea is a script written in hot glue. After the glue is dry, paint your pumpkin in black paint. The chalkboard paint is applied with a dry brush, from the bottom of the pumpkin. The dry brush technique gives the pumpkin a rustic look. What Halloween words are you going to spell out on your Halloween pumpkin decorations?

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Galaxy Pumpkin

Your Halloween pumpkin decorations are going to be out of this world. This painted pumpkin starts with a plain black coat. Sponge brushed purple and blue hues give a galaxy vibe. "Flicks" of white paint (made with the bristles of a toothbrush) are stars.

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Buffalo Check Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing
FREE buffalo check pattern

Who doesn't love a fall flannel? Don't leave your painted pumpkin out of the fun! An overlapping pattern, with different shades of black and gray, is a chic take on plaid for your seasonal pumpkin decorations. This buffalo check pumpkin is Instagram ready, #fall!

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Spray Painted Pumpkins

Credit: Jacob Fox

Eye-popping ombre pumpkins star as a simple fall centerpiece. The key is to spray from above and move your arm in a fluid circular motion, letting the paint drift down to lighter coverage. If necessary, add more paint only on top. Make a mistake? Spray the pumpkin white and start again!

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Pattern Play

Credit: Laura Moss

These black-and-white painted pumpkins are bold and beautiful. To create, simply mix patterns and word art incorporating one or two colors. Use a paint pen to get fine details and clean lines. Invite friends over to all to create their own patterned Halloween pumpkins. Get them started by having the base layer painted and dried before the guests arrive.

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Disco Pumpkin

Credit: Laura Moss

Squares of silver paint shine on this disco-inspired pumpkin. Add even more sparkle by using sheets of silver leaf. Painting the silver paint in a grid pattern gives your Halloween pumpkin decoration the disco ball look. Place this disco ball pumpkin somewhere on your stoop that gets some fun lighting. Turn Halloween into disco night!

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Nail Polish Painted Pumpkins

Credit: Michael Piazza

Swirls of shiny nail polish are a great way to decorate pint-sized painted pumpkins. No need to go out and buy any special supplies for these Halloween pumpkin decorations. Just sift through your beauty drawer. Nail polish, mixed with a little water, swirl beautifully on Halloween pumpkin decorations.

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Sports Pumpkins

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Are you a football family? Or maybe baseball is more your thing? Let your friends and neighbors know with fun painted pumpkins. Turn regular, orange pumpkins into the ball for your favorite sport. Basketball fans have the easiest paint job.

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Constellation Pumpkin

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Don't let the drill holes intimidate you, this painted galaxy pumpkin is easy to DIY. This Halloween pumpkin decoration starts like all painted pumpkins, with a coat of paint. A very fancy technique involving flicking paint-covered toothbrush creates stars. The lights on the inside of the pumpkin mean that this can be Halloween decor indoors or out.

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"Gather" Pumpkin

Credit: Carson Downing
Get the "gather" pattern

Is your home the holiday hot spot? Invite your guests in with a painted fall pumpkin that welcomes them. This elegant invitation isn't necessarily a Halloween pumpkin decoration, but it is perfect for the entirety of fall. To make the decoration longer lasting, use a faux white pumpkin.

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Donut Painted Pumpkins

Credit: Carson Downing

These painted pumpkin decorations are so sweet that you'll want to eat! A ring of pastry-colored paint, with some sprinkles of paint, make precious donut painted pumpkins. Maybe this year's Halloween decorations will be dessert-themed? If white pumpkins are hard to find, just add a coat of white paint before your pastry pastels.

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Mood Ring Pumpkin

Who knew painted pumpkins could tell your mood? A coat of thermal paint (on top of a black coat) is the key to the changing hues. After your pumpkin is painted and dry, have your family take turns creating Halloween "paintings" on the pumpkin with their body temperatures

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Dracula Pumpkin

Credit: Dane Tashima

This pumpkin painting idea is "spooktacular"! Spray-paint a pumpkin lime green. Craft card stock features, and glue in place. We used black tape to create the hair and eyes.

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Candy Corn Painted Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright

Spray-painted pumpkins never looked so sweet! Too big to pop in your mouth, these candy corn-inspired painted pumpkins still look good enough to eat. Choose cone-shape pumpkins, and spray-paint with white and yellow to create these Halloween pumpkin decorations.

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Ice Cream Pumpkins

Credit: Carson Downing

Painted pumpkins are just the start of this Halloween pumpkin decoration. Colorful card stock (as sundae sprinkles) tops the painted pumpkin "ice cream" scoops. Ceramic (or plastic) ice cream cones can be found at dollar stores or crafts stores.

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Black and White Stripes

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Take your Halloween pumpkin decorating inspiration from a Halloween classic: Beetlejuice! The natural lines of the pumpkin serve as guides for your paintbrush. Hope you have a steady hand! If Halloween painting isn't your forte, painter's tape can help you get crisp lines.

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Witches Shoes

Credit: Greg Scheidemann

Tall pumpkins set the stage for this soft-shoe scenario. All you need to keep in step are stencils for the painted pumpkins, black paint, ribbon, and shallow carving. If you love this Halloween pumpkin decorating idea but don't want to get any knives involved, use painter's tape and yellow paint for the witchy stockings.

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Caterpillar Painted Pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright

These cute painted pumpkins go to great lengths to form a caterpillar. Paint pumpkins melon green, and paint their stems black. Decorate the body with adhesive-felt dots, and denote the head with a pair of googly eyes and curled pipe cleaner antennae. Arrange the pumpkins in a creepy, crawling S shape.

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Princess Pumpkins

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Painted pumpkins fit for a princess! If the goopy hands that result from a carving pumpkins aren't your style, maybe these princess Halloween pumpkin decorating ideas are for you. Pastel pink will pop of your doorstep. Letter stencils allow each princess to customize a message to her subjects (or neighbors).

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Pineapple Pumpkin

Credit: Dane Tashima

Give a mini pumpkin a makeover with this easy painting idea. To make, spray-paint a pumpkin yellow and add accents using a black marker. Finish with purchased eye stickers and a glittery foam topper.

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Painted Owl Pumpkin

Credit: Ann VanderWiel Wilde

Do you find owls cool or creepy? Either way, they're perfect for Halloween pumpkin decorations. An owl on your doorstep is sure to add a dramatic flair to the haunting holiday. Perfectly round eyes, comprised of even smaller patterns are the key to a Halloween owl. Using a paint pen is the key to doing the designs by hand.

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