Pumpkins are ripe for painting and decorating with storybook characters.
Storybook characters are inspirational as pumpkin decorations. The storybook pumpkin characters can used for fundraisers, contests, a character party or Halloween party. Facial features are determined by author description, a commercial artwork on a book jacket, movie poster or children's coloring book. The pumpkin is mounted on a base that is covered with a child's shirt or cloth that represents the clothing the character would wear. Embellishments such as a hat, hair, bandannas and jewelry can be added to give the character life-like qualities. Create an entire scene with several character pumpkins for a special event.
Instructions
1. Acrylic paint will dry quickly on pumpkin skin.
Clean the pumpkin with baby wipes or alcohol swabs. Water will not clean the skin as thoroughly as alcohol will.
2. Set up a sketch, book jacket or poster to use as a reference to go by when decorating the pumpkin. Dip a small paintbrush into white or black acrylic paint and outline the facial features on the pumpkin front. Paint the face colors and feature outlines on the pumpkin. Let dry.
3. Detail the eyes, nose and mouth of the storybook character on the pumpkin face. Paint the hair line and hair coloring. For a pop-eyed effect for a character such as the Cheshire Cat from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," use ping pong balls. Carve an indented area on to the face of the cat and insert painted ping pong balls into the holes. For a character such as the Scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz," add straw for the hair.
4. Arrange a shirt, cloth or fur for the character's chest area on a block of wood, overturned pail or box. Set the pumpkin on top of the neck area. A colored cape will be sufficient for a "Dracula" or a Harry Potter character. An old child's jacket will be appropriate for the monster from "Frankenstein."
5. Add doll hair, feathers, fibers or tinsel for the head covering of the character. Top the storybook character's head with a hat, helmet, hair bow or crown. Add sparkle with tinsel chenille legs for the beloved spider from "Charlotte's Webb," E. B.White's classic book.
6. Add cardboard ears and coiled pipe-cleaner tails to fully painted animal characters such as "The Three Pigs" from a child's story book. Paint carved foam or cardboard tubes for feet and hooves of a pumpkin animal.
7. Spray a clear gloss sealant on a pumpkin that will be on display for several days or weeks.
