These Pumpkin Painting Ideas Are Cuter Than Any Jack-O'-Lantern (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a pumpkin and a jack-o'-lantern? ›

Jack O'Lanterns, as they have become known, are a variety of pumpkin bred for carving. Pie pumpkins tend to be heavier with thicker skin, while carving pumpkins are bred for thinner skin and less meat, making it easier to carve. However, any pumpkin will work.

Thomas agrees and recommends acrylic paint instead of oil-based when painting pumpkins. "It's quick-drying, easy to use, and clean-up is a breeze," she says. "Because acrylic is water-based, if you mess up, you can wipe it off with a rag and start over! Oil-based paint takes a long time to dry and can be fumy.

This tradition stems from the old European legend of a man named "Stingy Jack" or "Jack of the Lantern" - a man so devious he got himself thrown out from both Heaven and Hell cursed to walk the earth for all eternity with nothing but a hollowed out turnip containing an ember from Hell to light his way.

Watermelons are a great alternative to pumpkins for a jack-o'-lantern. Start out by cutting off a thin slice of what will be the bottom, so the fruit can sit upright without rolling away. The smooth shell makes it easy to draw your desired face and cut, and a spoon was powerful enough to scoop out the insides.

The o' in jack-o'-lantern is short for the word of. So the whole term is “Jack (of or with) the lantern.” The o' is also used in the term o'clock.

First, cut a circular hole around the pumpkin stem and remove it. Set the stem aside and hollow out the insides of your pumpkin. Next, carve a classic pumpkin face that include eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Insert the stem back on top of the pumpkin.

Acrylic paints are ideal for decorating pumpkins as they adhere well, dry quickly, and offer a wide range of vibrant colors. Their versatility allows you to create stunning designs, from simple patterns to intricate masterpieces.

Wash your pumpkins

Since real pumpkins grow in the ground, they are bound to have dirt on them that will not let your paint adhere to the surface. You can use a little bleach when washing them to help them last longer. I just used soap and water for these. Look how big they are!

If you're going to keep your pumpkins indoors then washable paint can be used, too. If you want to place them outdoors, seal them before and after you apply the washable paint. Otherwise the paint will start flaking and rubbing off when continuously exposed to the sun and rain.

When Irish immigrants brought this folklore to America, they discovered that pumpkins, abundant in the New World, were ideal for carving. Thus, the tradition of carving faces into pumpkins was born, which symbolized the souls trapped between worlds, like Stingy Jack.

Can you eat jack-o-lantern pumpkins? ›

Sure — as long as it is in good condition and hasn't' yet been carved. Pumpkins typically used for jack-o'-lanterns usually are larger, with stringier pulp and more watery flesh. However, you can still eat the jack-o-lantern variety with fairly good results.

The most popular version of the tale involves Jack first tricking the Devil into changing his form, then trapping him in his transfigured state. Jack then offered the Devil out of the deal in exchange for not taking his soul for a long time.

Carving pumpkins or Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins are typically thinner, easier to saw into and have less and more stringy guts on the inside; making them easier to clean while pie pumpkins, meant for baking, are usually smaller and more rounded. Pie pumpkins are used for cooking or baking and are also called sugar pumpkins.

In fact, the name, jack-o'-lantern, comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.

The four common types are Traditional Orange Pumpkins for carving and decorating, Pie Pumpkins for baking, Giant Pumpkins like the Atlantic Giant for competitions, and decorative varieties like the white Lumina or the small Baby Boo for ornamental use.