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3 new takes on the Halloween Pumpkin

Halloween, where ever you are

Pumpkins. A tasty source of nutrients and an ideal ingredient for healthy autumn meals. But is that what most people think of when they see the first ripe pumpkins? Nope… they think of Halloween, and so do we. With little effort, we have 3 new takes on Halloween pumpkins that can help you add some Halloween flavor to your home or workspace. Read on, and get your pumpkin on.

BEFORE

It’s pumpkin season and the supermarkets, farms, and greengrocers of the world have all their pumpkin wares on display making it irresistible to not get on board with the Halloween spirit. The trick is to choose with your eyes, and not with your stomach. Most likely three or more pumpkins will stand out as perfect Halloween project candidates. Choose them, and take them home to clean and dry them.

The first pumpkin will get the stone age treatment with a timeless finish of Montana GOLD and Montana GRANIT paint. Choosing the Montana GOLD color of your choice as a base (we recommend a white or soft color), shake all your cans for 2-3 minutes, prepare your painting space with some sort of drop sheet, and put on your gloves and mask in readiness to paint. Apply the color in soft sweeping motions from side to side from a distance of about 15-20cm. (This process will need to be repeated for all three pumpkins). Apply in thin even coats and repeat if desired.

Once dry, take your shaken Montana GRANIT colors (we chose Black and Light Gray), and apply in soft whispy bursts, only allowing it to land softly on the top of the pumpkin. You can choose to let it dry as-is, or apply a Montana VARNISH in the finish of your choice to seal the pumpkin on the following day. Pumpkin number one – done!

The second pumpkin is for all those people that don’t mind a little spookiness in their Halloween decor. Taking the second pumpkin you have, apply the Montana GOLD color Shock White or Montana Universal PRIMER to the whole pumpkin. The lighter the pumpkin becomes, the better the Montana NIGHTGLOW can perform. Give your pumpkin plenty of time to dry, or leave it overnight, and then apply the first coat of Montana NIGHTGLOW paint. We chose NIGHTGLOW Luminescent Green, but you might prefer Luminescent Orange.

Again, apply sweeping motions at a distance of about 15-20cm to avoid drips apply. Allow 5 minutes or more to dry and re-apply. The more coats you apply, the stronger the glow effect will work. Once the final coat as desired has been applied, leave your pumping to dry. Ideally in the sun, which is also how you need to charge the NIGHTGLOW paint generally for the paint to glow at night. In the evenings, place your pumpkin in the darkest corners you can find and turn off the lights. And watch your new scary pumpkin light up on its own. Pumpkin number two – done!

 

 

The final pumpkin has a touch of METALLIC to add a special something to its natural surface. Using a Montana GOLD color of your choice, spray your whole pumpkin from top to bottom. As with all the pumpkins before, allow to dry and turn over to cover the areas not covered previously. Repeat as desired. We chose Montana GOLD Shock White as a neutral base of which the METALLIC could shine, however you may choose another color combination. Taking your pre-shaken Montana METALLIC color,  start by applying only to the top stem of your pumpkin.

Then slowly proceed to move around in a contained circle as large as you like. Remember to stop well before the middle of the pumpkin so there is a clear contrast between the base color and the METALLIC color. We chose METALLIC Plum for its strong contrast to the Shock White base. For this pumpkin, it is important to spray at a closer range to the surface (approx. 5 -10cm), allowing the paint to gather in spots at the top of the pumpkin and drip down it. Luscious thick drips of metallic pigment goodness can now roll down your Halloween treasure. Leave to dry overnight before handling. Pumpkin number three – done!

AFTER

No longer do you look at your beautiful pumpkins wondering if you should cook them or use them for the Halloween season. It’s clear, they have now become your new Halloween icons and are bound to inspire all those that are lucky enough to see them. Should you have preferred one of the three more than the others, why not continue the project and create more with new colorways or themes (e.g. Glow/Granit/Metallic).

Or if you want to save some of the ideas for years to come, display the one in the style you like and save the others for next year. This project is super easy and able to be performed by any skill level. The important points to remember are to ensure your pumpkins are clean and dry, and that your cans are always shaken well for 2-3 minutes before use so you can hear the mixing balls moving freely. Everything else is subject to your creativity.

Well done and Happy Crafting!