Plentiful Tips for Pleasant Pumpkin Painting

During the fall season, families like to visit pumpkin patches to pick out just the right one to use as an autumn decoration. Once the prized pumpkin is selected and taken home, an individual can have the pleasure of painting it. Here are a few tips to consider and help with the pumpkin painting process:

1. A choice can be followed in selecting the perfect pumpkin for a fall masterpiece. The first is to select a pumpkin that does not contain too many bumps and is size proportionate to the child who will be painting it. For children under the age of 3, a small pumpkin or even the little pumpkin shaped gourds that one could purchase at a local grocery store might be wise. For children 4 and older, allow the child to select the pumpkin and encourage a younger child to choose one that is appropriate for his or her body size. The second is to choose whatever pumpkin that the child likes regardless of size or shape (sometimes, the most unusual shape or the largest or smallest pumpkin can be a really fun project). However, regardless of which choice is chosen, it is wise to select a pumpkin that does not have blemishes, holes, or similar imperfections.

2. Rinse the pumpkin and thoroughly dry it prior to painting. This will remove any dirt or debris that might be on it.

3. Acrylic paints are best for use on pumpkins for older children and to extend the duration of this work of art, but tempera or poster paint is fine for use by younger children for a temporary piece of art. Tempera is washable and nontoxic, so it does not pose as much harm to little ones in the event that the paint is ingested by accident. Fall colors such as greens, browns, oranges, reds, and yellows are suggested for use as well as white and black to help lighten or darken a color. Both acrylic and tempera paints come in a wide range of colors, so if a child wants to use his or her imagination and be creative, which is possible as well.

4. It is often recommended that one use a sealer or varnish on the pumpkin prior to painting in order to help the paint better adhere to the pumpkin's skin. However, caution needs to be taken regarding this step if younger children are the ones who will be doing the painting.

5. If desired, select fall-themed stencils to use to paint various objects onto the pumpkin. Scarecrows, leaves, cats, and cornstalks are just a few suggestions for stencil ideas. As always, allowing a child to free paint whatever he or she would like onto the pumpkin works well too.

6. Select various paintbrushes in different sizes and bristle consistency. Keep a cup of water nearby within easy reach when using different colored paints. Acrylic and tempera paints rinse very easily. However, be sure to rinse all your brushes thoroughly when done so they can be used for the next painting adventure. One can also use a different paintbrush for each color in order to prevent the mixing of colors. However, if one wants to blend some colors together, an inexpensive palate can be great for this.

7. Once the pumpkin, paints, paintbrushes, and stencils (optional) have been obtained, choose a work area where the pumpkin can be left to dry. Cover the area with an old sheet or blanket to help make clean up easier and to catch any paint that might be spilled.

8. Decide how the pumpkin should look when completed - will all sides be painted? If not, how many, and which ones? What pattern or design should the pumpkin have?

9. Once the theme or design of the pumpkin has been determined, either trace a stencil or free hand a design with a pencil. This is to make it easy to erase if the choice of design changes or if one has a slip of the hand.

10. Some suggestions for drawing a face on the pumpkin: draw the nose first (it should be centered in the middle of the pumpkin); draw the eyes about an inch or so above and to the sides of the nose; draw the mouth about an inch or two below the nose. Feel free to experiment with different shapes and sizes for the facial features.

11. If one would like to paint a base coat of paint on the pumpkin, please allow time for it to dry before adding more colors. Tempera paint and acrylic paint tend to dry somewhat quickly depending on the thickness at which it is applied. This author recommends allowing a drying time of 1-2 hours. Once this time amount is passed, do the fingertip test on the top of the pumpkin next to the stem to see if the paint has dried (make sure that area around the stem is the part that is painted lastly).

12. Once the base coat has dried, take the stencils and a pencil and trace lightly the object or design that you would like.

13. Once the face, design, or object onto the pumpkin has been sketched via a pencil, begin painting. One website recommends tracing the pumpkin design with a permanent marker as well, so this step can be taken prior to painting as well.

14. Upon completion of the painting process, allow the pumpkin to dry completely. Depending on the size of the pumpkin and the thickness of the paint, allow anywhere from 3-8 hours for the drying process.

15. Once the pumpkin has dried, display it in a place where everyone can enjoy the work of art.

16. After approximately 1-2 weeks, cut the pumpkin open and remove seeds. These can be used for the planting of future pumpkins or for roasting to make a yummy snack.

Source (consulted and to be considered for additional tips):

http://painting.about.com/od/gourdartpaintedgourds/ht/paint_pumpkin.htm