Make a painted pumpkin with a skeleton design. This Halloween craft is SO easy – add Sparkle Mod Podge for a really festive touch!

Skills Required: Beginner. You’re going to paint with a smaller brush, but you will be putting the pattern down on the surface (so you’ll have a guide). If you have experience painting anything, you’ll be fine.

Too early for Halloween – and a painted pumpkin idea? My friends, there is no such thing as too early in the world of crafting! That is what I love about being a crafter. I can be a rule breaker. By the way, am I the only person that refers to skeletons as “skulligans?” If you are out there, please identify yourself.

My first project of the season is this DIY pumpkin. It’s easy and uses Mod Podge as a sealer . . . and it’s NO CARVE. There’s some painting involved but it’s fun, and you also get to use white transfer paper.

Ooh la la. This purple and black and glitter painted pumpkin will be loved by you for years to come, guaranteed. Here’s how to make this skeleton pumpkin.

Gather These Supplies

Craft pumpkin – in black, preferably
Skull and crossbones clip art printed out to fit the pumpkin – I got mine from Microsoft Clip Art
FolkArt Paint – Licorice, Dove Gray, Metallic Silver Sterling
Sparkle Mod Podge
Purple or silver craft leaves
Paintbrushes in two sizes – small and large
Hot glue gun
Pipe cleaners, black
White transfer paper and stylus OR chalk
Stencil tape

Get the printable how to for this cool pumpkin below.

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4.86 from 7 votes

DIY Skeleton Pumpkin

Learn how to turn a plain faux pumpkin into a spooky Halloween skull pumpkin! It's very easy to do, and perfect for your holiday decor.

Prep Time10

Active Time1 30

Total Time1 40

Yield: pumpkin

Cost: $12

Equipment

Paintbrush(es) two sizes – small and large
Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Materials

1 Craft pumpkin
Skeleton clip art printed out to fit the pumpkin
Craft paint I used FolkArt – Licorice, Dove Gray, Metallic Silver Sterling
Mod Podge Sparkle
Purple craft leaves
Pipe cleaners black
White transfer paper and stylus
Stencil tape

Instructions

Paint the craft pumpkin with Licorice (unless you got a black craft pumpkin).
Tape the white transfer paper behind the pattern onto the pumpkin surface. Use a stylus or pencil to trace the image, leaving the white lines behind.
Use your small brush to paint in the skeleton design with gray paint. Follow the pattern lines as closely as you can. Keep painting until you’ve filled the skeleton completely in and then allow to dry. Don’t forget the stem.
Use your small brush and silver to paint over the gray. It gives it a nice little sheen. Cover and then allow to dry. Paint the stem too.
Coat the pumpkin with several layers of Sparkle Mod Podge, allowing to dry between coats. Set aside and allow to dry.
While you are waiting for the pumpkin to dry, take some of the leaves and glue onto the ends of pipe cleaners.
Once dry, wrap the pipe cleaners around a finger to make a curled vine effect.
Using the hot glue gun, attach the pipe cleaner “vines” to the top of the pumpkin, then start attaching leaves. Let the glue cool completely before displaying.

Notes

Other methods for transferring the pattern if you don’t want to do transfer paper:

Cut out the image and hold it to the pumpkin, tracing around it in chalk (you can erase it later). Don’t draw so hard with the chalk that you create grooves in the pumpkin surface.

Turn the pattern over and color it with a white crayon. Tape it to the pumpkin and use a pencil to trace the lines, which will transfer the crayon to the surface of the pumpkin.

If you love this Halloween craft, check out these other fall crafts and pumpkin decorating ideas:

Confetti Pumpkins • Decorate Paper Craft Pumpkins • DIY Leaf Bowl • DIY Nautical Pumpkin • DIY Pumpkin Seed Art • DIY Wood Pumpkins • Glitter Acorn Decor • How to Dry Acorns • How to Paint Acorns • How to Preserve Leaves • Mod Podge Map Pumpkins • Nautical Pumpkin Craft • Paper Mache Pumpkins • Wood Pumpkin Decor