24 Pumpkin Painting Ideas for Halloween

People like trying new looks for their porch or party table, so this simple activity fits many styles. Acrylic paint works well on smooth or bumpy skin. We’d also suggest keeping a few brush sizes around for lines and details. You can also use templates for shapes you can’t freehand, while sealant keeps colors from rubbing off.

Kids will also love glitter, stickers, ribbons, tiny gems, and glow paints, so keep those at hand, too. Once you’ve got all your supplies, choose from these pumpkin painting ideas to make your front porch look gourd-geous (pun intended).

Cute Pumpkin Painting Ideas

Are you into friendly faces and playful themes? These cute pumpkin painting ideas are for you.

1. Kawaii Face Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

Soft pastel shades turn a pumpkin into a sweet character. Think rosy cheeks, big eyes, and a small, smiling mouth. It feels like a storybook friend on the doorstep. It’s a great pick for younger kids with a little guidance on the finer lines.

2. Sprinkle Donut Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Paint the top half in frosting colors with bright sprinkles scattered around. Lighter shades keep it cheerful and candy-themed. You can paint the pumpkin in all your favorite donut flavors.

3. Unicorn Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

If your kids are into Disney pumpkin ideas, they’ll love this one. White paint makes a clean base for long lashes and blushing cheeks. Add a cone horn and pastel streaks for the mane with ribbons or gems to finish. It looks magical once done and draws a lot of “awws” from trick-or-treaters.

Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas

These simple designs work well when you want quick results. They look clean and fun without much prep.

4. Polka Dot Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

Use a stencil or sponge circles for near dots across the surface. You can repeat one color or mix bright tones for a playful look. It’s quick and forgiving if a dot ends up bigger than planned.

5. Striped Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

Tape lines around the pumpkin and fill each section with a different shade. Vertical stripes feel cheerful, while horizontal blocks give a neater layout. Then, peel the tape to reveal clean edges.

6. Metallic Accent Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

Silver, gold, copper, or metallic paint adds a sleek shine to bumps and curves. Highlight the ridges or paint the stem for a stylish touch. A steady hand helps, but small slips blend into the shimmer.

Funny Pumpkin Painting Ideas

Silly faces and goofy expressions draw attention from kids passing by. Here’s how to pull this off.

7. Emoji Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

If you want to try funny pumpkin painting, start with emojis. Pick a favorite emoji and match its expression on a bright yellow base.

8. Burger Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Paint the pumpkin in layers like buns, patty, lettuce, and cheese. Add sesame dots on top for a funny twist that looks like a giant snack on the doorstep.

9. Goofy Monster Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Large eyes painted off-center, a toothy grin, and wild colors bring a cartoon monster to life. Stick on a pair of wiggly eyes for extra silliness. It doesn’t need perfect lines since a messy look adds charm.

Scary Pumpkin Painting Ideas

Scary pumpkin designs fit late-night porch vibes. These ideas work well for older kids or adults who enjoy darker themes.

10. Bloody Handprint Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Add paint streaks that drip for a horror effect anyone can do fast. It looks chilling even with simple tools.

11. Skeleton Face Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Paint the surface black, then add a skull grin and hollow eyes in white. It turns into a striking design from a short distance. Clean lines around the teeth bring a bit of challenge, though.

12. Scary Face Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Go for sunken eyes, a twisted grin, bare teeth, wrinkled skin, or dark shading around the mouth. Rough brush strokes give it a more chilling look.

Pumpkin Painting Ideas for Kids

Need ideas for pumpkin painting for kids? These cool pumpkin painting designs are a good place to start.

13. Animal Friends Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Paint cute faces on pumpkins and add paper or felt ears. Bears, bunnies, dogs, rabbits, and cats all work well. Small details like whiskers or tiny noses bring the animals to life.

14. Superhero Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Choose favorites like Spider-Man or Batman, and paint their iconic masks or logos. Simple shapes and bright colors make the pumpkin instantly recognizable and exciting for young fans.

15. Rainbow Smile Pumpkins

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Difficulty: Medium

Cover the pumpkin with a cheerful rainbow and a big smiling face. It’s easy to paint and looks instantly joyful on a table or porch.

Disney Pumpkin Painting Ideas

Disney pumpkin ideas bring a touch of magic to Halloween. Kids coming to your house for trick or treating will love them.

16. Mickey & Minnie Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Paint the pumpkin black and add red shorts for Mickey or a polka-dot bow for Minnie. Small details like white gloves or ears complete the look.

17. Frozen Ice Queen Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Use a blue-to-white gradient as the base, then add glittery snowflakes. Add a subtle shimmer for a magical feel. Layering the gradient and glitter takes time but gives a sparkling result.

18. Toy Story Alien Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Paint the pumpkin green and add three eyes with a wide, friendly smile. Simple shapes and bright colors make it fun for kids and perfect for a playful display.

Cool Pumpkin Painting Ideas

Let’s look at some examples of cool pumpkin painting designs for Halloween.

19. Abstract Splash Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Layer bright and contrasting colors in bold splashes and streaks across the pumpkin. There’s no need for perfect shapes, as random patterns create an artistic look.

20. Marble Effect Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Hard

Use acrylic pour or water dipping techniques to create flowing and marbled patterns. The result looks intricate with minimal brushwork.

21. Glow-in-the-Dark Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Paint geometric or abstract patterns with glow-in-the-dark paint. Under blacklight, the pumpkin seems to float in the dark.

Small Pumpkin Painting Ideas

These ideas work well for family-friendly pumpkin crafts and last-minute pumpkin painting ideas when time is tight.

22. Candy Corn Mini Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Easy

Divide the pumpkin into three sections and paint in classic candy corn colors: yellow, orange, and white. It’s one of the simplest last-minute pumpkin painting ideas you can follow for Halloween with your family.

23. Galaxy Mini Pumpkin

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Difficulty: Medium

Use dark blue, purple, and black paints with white speckles for stars. Tiny pumpkins become a mini universe, perfect for mantel or tabletop displays.

24. Glitter Mini Pumpkins

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Difficulty: Easy

Cover the pumpkin in glue and sprinkle glitter over it. Mix colors for a sparkling effect.

Conclusion

With that, we’ve come to the end of our list of pumpkin painting ideas for Halloween. These family-friendly pumpkin crafts will allow everyone in the family to join in.

Since these are non-carving pumpkin ideas for Halloween, kids won’t have any trouble getting involved. Each pumpkin can become a little work of art that adds charm and personality to your Halloween decor.

Updated on Nov 24, 2025