Simple Skeleton Pumpkin with Sparkle

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.

Skeleton Painted 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

Note: if you can’t find a black pumpkin or want to use a white one, you can paint it black first before doing anything else. Let it dry completely.

Transfer the Pattern

The first thing you’re going to do is print out the pattern and then transfer it to the pumpkin surface. You have a few options for this:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Choose your method and complete the transfer.

Paint in the Skull

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. You are so close to being done you can’t imagine. By the way, does this photo look like I’m painting in a basement?

Paint the Sparkle

Coat your pumpkin with several layers of Sparkle Mod Podge, allowing to dry between coats. This should sparkle nicely on the black paint! Set aside and allow to dry.

Glue the Leaves

While you are waiting for the pumpkin to dry, take some of your leaves and glue onto the ends of pipe cleaners. You should use your hot glue gun; I’m A.D.D. so I grabbed the glue that was sitting right there.

Once dry, wrap the pipe cleaners around your finger to make a curled vine effect.

Using your hot glue gun, attach the pipe cleaner “vines” to the top of the pumpkin, then start attaching leaves. Glue leaves down until you feel your pumpkin has enough – basically to your heart’s content!

Let the glue cool before placing out, and then enjoy your spooky decoration. If you would like to set outside, make sure to spray with a waterproof enamel sealer.

Get the printable how to for this cool pumpkin below.

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4.86 from 7 votes

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 minutes mins

Active Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Yield: 1 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).
• Transfer the image to the pumpkin using white transfer paper.
• Use the small brush to paint in the skeleton design with gray paint. Follow the transfer paper lines as closely as you can. Keep painting until you’ve filled the skeleton in and allow to dry. Don’t forget the stem.
• Use the small brush and silver to paint over the gray. 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.

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

• Mod Podge Map Pumpkins
• Nautical Pumpkin Craft
• No Carve Pumpkin Decorating