Painted Pumpkin Idea: The Ombre Look
Earlier this spring I took on the title of houseplant mom and I enjoyed ombre painting a few terra-cotta pots.
I decided to take that same concept and turn it into a fun pumpkin display for my front porch.Start by dropping pumpkins in the tub for the bleach soak method. ( Recipe HERE).Next take a sharpie marker and designate a color(s) for each pumpkin.
(L = Light color, M = Medium color, D = Dark color)
Since some of my pumpkins were stackers I chose to do this two ways.
The stacked pumpkins were labeled with individual colors and the stand alone pumpkins were labeled with all three colors.
This may be confusing in writing. But stick with me. It will make sense in a minute.
Promise.
Materials for Ombre Painted Pumpkins
- Foam Paint Brushes.
- Stiff Bristle Brushes
- Acrylic or leftover latex paint. (I chose teal as a supporter of the Teal Pumpkin Project)
- Spray Sealant
For Stacked PumpkinsPaint pumpkins individual colors (Dark color on bottom pumpkin. Medium color on middle pumpkin, Light color on top pumpkin.)Allow to dry and apply spray sealant to preserve.
For Individual Pumpkins With Three Colors:
Start with the darkest color and paint the bottom of the pumpkin about 1/3 of the way up. I like to use THESE foam brushes.
While the bottom color is still wet, add the medium color to the middle portion of the pumpkin. NOTE: You will need to work in sections. Paint one half. Allow to dry. Then paint the other half.
Take a smaller foam brush and lightly tap the area between colors to bring them together.
Finally, use a stiff bristle brush and gently tap the meeting line to buff the colors together.
Repeat steps for each color added.
Finish the pumpkins by adding spray sealer and display them on your porch!
Wha-la! Ombre Pumpkins Two Ways!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Why would you have to mark the pumpkins with a sharpie? There are only 3 colors.