Ombré Pumpkins

Alicia W
by Alicia W
2 Materials
$4
15 Minutes
Easy
Fall is here and what better way to decorate than with pumpkins! But not just your ordinary pumpkins....
I was inspired by the beautiful colors of my hydrangea bush, here's an easy way to paint pumpkins in this year's hottest trend...ombré!
For this project you can use either real or faux pumpkins; however, the pumpkin must be white.
If you're starting with an orange pumpkin, begin by painting the orange pumpkin white. Why? White will give you true colors and not be affected by the orange of the pumpkin.




What color are you painting the pumpkin? Choose your color - I chose Berry Wine from folkArt paint to match the color of my hydrangea bush.
You will need three shades of that color - the darkest color (the color out of the bottle), a medium shade of that color and a light shade of that color.
For the medium shade, place a few drops of your darkest color onto your plate, then add a drop or two of white. Mix together and continue to add white until you achieve the correct shade.
For the lightest shade, begin by placing a few drops of white onto your plate then add a drop of the darkest color and mix together.
Determine if you want your ombré to vary from top to bottom or bottom to top.


Begin with your lightest shade, painting a third of the way down the pumpkin.


Paint only a small section at a time.
While the lightest shade is still wet, paint the medium shade to the middle, overlapping the edge of the lightest shade.


You want to work in small sections so the paint does not dry.
Using a small piece of clean paper towel, gently blend the shades together using a blotting motion.
Now paint the darkest color onto the bottom third of the pumpkin overlapping the edge of the medium shade.
Using a clean, small piece of paper towel, gently blend the medium and darkest shade together.
Continue to work in small sections around the pumpkin until you've painted the entire surface.
Allow the paint to dry.


Your pumpkins are now ready to be displayed in your home.



Take some time to look around outside and be inspired by the colors of fall (other than orange and yellow) for your ombré pumpkin project.


If displaying the pumpkins outside, they should be sprayed with a water resistant sealant.
Suggested materials:
  • Pumpkins   (Farmer's market)
  • Paint   (AC Moore)
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  3 questions
  • Susan Susan on Sep 28, 2017

    What kind of hydranga bush is this?

  • Anita Edney Moore Anita Edney Moore on Sep 28, 2017

    What type of paint did you use. I used acrylic paint but it didn't stick to the pumpkin & the color was too light.

  • SHEILA CROWE SHEILA CROWE on Oct 14, 2017

    What type of paint do recommend to us on pumpkins for outside and safe for children and our furry kids. Do you recommend putting a top clear coat? Thank You, Sheila Crowe

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