Carve Out Some Pumpkin Magic Or Just Paint One
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Oh my gourd-ness—pumpkin season makes me ridiculously happy. The leaves are swirling outside, the mornings smell like cinnamon and coffee, and suddenly, there are pumpkins everywhere. I love it. Stacked at the farmer’s market, lined up on porches, or baked into a pie… pumpkins just feel like a hug from autumn itself.
When I was little, my mom always let me be in charge of decorating our front porch for fall. I can still remember setting up our stuffed scarecrow, positioning the dried cornstalks from the garden on either side of the front door, and arranging pumpkins all around. It felt magical to me—that cozy, homemade kind of magic that comes from simple childhood traditions. Maybe that’s why pumpkins still make me smile so much; they carry that sense of warmth and creativity from my childhood.
These days, I’ve traded the porch displays for another kind of pumpkin fun: painting them. Lately, I’ve been pulling out my watercolors and letting the oranges, golds, and greens dance across the page. There’s something so calming about watching the paint spread and blend, almost like the pumpkin is slowly coming to life. It’s a lot less messy than carving (no slimy seeds to scoop out!) and honestly, it’s just pure joy.
In this 3-part video tutorial, I take you along with me as I paint a watercolor pumpkin, step by step. It’s simple enough for beginners but still feels creative and fun, and the best part is that every pumpkin turns out to be one-of-a-kind. Mine always end up a little different from what I imagined, and I kind of love that. It feels like a reminder that autumn itself is never perfect—it’s messy and beautiful all at once.
So here’s my cozy fall invitation for you: grab your brushes, pour yourself something warm, slip on a sweater, and paint a pumpkin with me. It’s a little moment of seasonal magic you can enjoy anytime—no pumpkin patch required, and no rotting porch decorations to worry about later. Just you, your paints, and a cozy slice of fall on paper.
Bonus: Quick & Easy Watercolor Tips for Painting Pumpkins
Start light, layer later – Begin with a pale orange wash for your pumpkin, then build up deeper shades of burnt orange, sienna, or even a touch of red to create depth.
Mix your own oranges – Blend yellow and red instead of grabbing premixed orange—it gives your pumpkin a richer, more natural look.
Leave some white – Don’t cover the whole pumpkin with color. Let a little white paper peek through for highlights and shine.
Soften with water – If your lines look too harsh, dip your brush in clean water and gently blur the edges for a soft, glowing effect.
Play with the stem – Mix green with a little brown for an earthy stem that balances out the bright orange body.