How to Paint Faux Pumpkins to Look like Real Heirloom Pumpkins
How to paint faux pumpkins to look like real heirloom pumpkins.
Heirloom pumpkins in soft greens and blues are my favorite kind of pumpkin. I have found some faux pumpkins that are blue and green, but they still look really fake or not the shades of color that I prefer. Therefore, I decided to paint some faux pumpkins to look like some of my favorite heirloom pumpkins. The key to painting pumpkins is to use lots of layers and a variety of shades of paint to create depth and texture. Most importantly, these DIY pumpkins are inexpensive to make with faux pumpkins and acrylic craft paint and can be used year after year.
How to get this DIY started!
You can either use craft pumpkins that are already white or you can use any style of faux pumpkins as long as the surface is smooth. You will need white paint, and a variety of sage green and sea glass blue colored paint. I also used navy paint for a few pumpkins. This is acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby.com. I used the folk art brand in sea mist, villa green, sea glass, wicker white and Anita’s brand in navy blue.
First, prep the pumpkins. Remove the stems from the faux pumpkins. You can paint the pumpkins with a liquid or spray paint in white primer. Another option is to lightly sand the pumpkin with sandpaper so that paint will adhere well. If you purchase the off white craft pumpkins, you can skip priming the surface. Next, paint the pumpkin with two layers of paint, allowing each layer of paint to dry in between.
Let the layering begin!
Next, paint another layer with a lighter shade of paint on the ribs of the pumpkins, avoiding the area where each rib meets. You want the part where the ribs meet to be a slightly darker shade. Next, dry brush white paint on the tops of the pumpkins where the curve of the ribs stand out. When dry brushing, use an old or inexpensive brush so the bristles fan apart and get a little amount of paint onto the brush. For instance, you can blot excess paint off until hardly any remains on the brush. To clarify, you want the paint on the brush and the surface of the brush just wet enough to move it around with the brush.
You may have to repeat adding a few layers of dry brushing to get the appearance that you desire. Remember, you are trying to mimic the highlights and shadows seen in real pumpkins. Therefore, use several layers of paint to add depth and create a more realistic look. Lastly, replace stems when dry. Consequently, I brushed a little paint on the stems to tone done the look of the plastic.
Because I love the look of blue and green anytime of year, I styled my DIY pumpkins in a large dough bowl filled with lambs ear greenery,
Above all, thank you for stopping by the Cuter Tudor! Please save these DIY pumpkins to your Fall Pinterest board so you can paint your own pumpkins this season. Now, you can follow me on Instagram @cutertudor or my facebook page! If you missed my fall front porch with real heirloom pumpkins, check it out here!
Save this to your Pinterest board!
Since the kids left for school, I’ve been on a mission to clean out our home. I’ve been rather ruthless, but fortunately for me I had second thoughts on these pumpkins. They are a heavier wooden, resin like material. We’ve had them since our last house so they are at least 15 years old. They’d seen better days ..chipped and scratched. I haven’t used them in quite sometime. That’s why they made themselves into the donation pile. We were hauling off a load to the Salvation Army when I decided to scoop them out of the box from the trunk of my car. Why on earth I thought giving them away was a good thing. At the time I thought I had plenty and didn’t want to paint another pumpkin. I decided the stem detail was too unique to give up on them.
I love the painted pumpkins, But I also love the wooden box they are displayed in! Where can I get one that size that won’t cost hundreds of dollars?
It is a vintage wood trough that I found at an estate sale years ago for $60. Look at antique stores and junk shops.