Painting pumpkins turns a plain porch pumpkin into something your kids will actually beg to help make. Character pumpkin painting ideas give you a no-carve, no-mess way to bring favorite cartoons, video game heroes, and cuddly critters to your Halloween display, and acrylic paint makes it easy to get clean, bright colors without a single knife cut.
Grab a few pumpkins in different sizes, some acrylic craft paint, and a handful of brushes, and you’re set for an afternoon of family-friendly fun. The 40 ideas below cover everything from Pokémon to Paw Patrol, so there’s a design for every kid’s favorite character.
Pikachu and Pokemon Pumpkins
1. Poke Ball Pumpkin
This pumpkin is split into a red top half and white bottom half, with a black center band and a white circle right in the middle. A glossy finish makes it pop, and it looks great perched on a windowsill.
Use painter’s tape to keep the halves crisp before switching colors, then peel it off once the paint dries. A top coat of glossy sealer gives it that shiny, ready-to-toss look kids adore.
2. Eevee Brown Pumpkin
Warm brown paint covers this pumpkin from top to bottom, with a cream chest patch and a fluffy tail swirl design added for texture. It makes a sweet addition to a fall mantel.
A dry-brush technique helps create that soft, fuzzy look around the cream patch. Let each layer dry before adding the next, and this one works well as a cozy centerpiece pumpkin.
3. Pokemon Team Pumpkin Row
Three mini pumpkins painted yellow, blue, and green each get their own simple creature face, then line up together along the porch steps. Grouping them like this makes a fun little squad display.
Paint each mini pumpkin separately so they dry without smudging each other, then arrange them once fully cured. This is an easy weekend project for siblings who each want to paint their own favorite character.
Mario and Nintendo Pumpkins
4. Mario Red Cap Pumpkin
The top portion of this pumpkin is painted red like a rounded cap, complete with a white circle emblem, while a mustache detail sits on the lower half. It’s displayed simply on a table.
Paint the cap section first using a bowl as a guide for a clean curved line. Once dry, add the mustache with a small round brush for crisp, thin edges.
5. Mushroom Cap Pumpkin
A white pumpkin gets red polka dots covering the top half, giving it that classic mushroom cap look. It sits pretty on a mantel among other fall décor.
Dip the end of a pencil eraser in red paint to make perfectly round dots without any freehand stress. This is one of the simplest designs on the list, great for a quick weeknight craft session.
6. Blue Shell Pumpkin
This round pumpkin is painted deep blue with a white spiked ridge band wrapping around it and small red accents added for detail. It sits displayed on a table.
Paint the deep blue base first, then add the white ridge band once it’s fully dry to keep the edges sharp. Kids who love racing games tend to request this one again and again.
Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig Pumpkins
7. Chase Police Pup Pumpkin
A blue patch shape covers one side of this pumpkin, paired with a badge circle and a floppy ear detail painted in tan. It sits ready for display on a table.
Paint the tan ear shape first since lighter colors work best as a base layer under darker accents. This design is a hit with little ones who love pup-themed rescue shows.
8. Skye Pink Pup Pumpkin
Soft pink paint covers this pumpkin, with wing-shaped details and a small badge added for a playful touch. It’s set on a windowsill for everyone to see.
A soft pink base coat may need two layers for even coverage, so let the first layer dry fully before the second. This pairs sweetly with the Chase pumpkin for a rescue-pup pumpkin duo.
9. Marshall Dalmatian Pumpkin
A white pumpkin is dotted with black spots and finished with a red patch shape for that firehouse pup feel. It sits displayed on a porch step.
Paint the white base first and let it dry completely before adding black spots with a small round brush. Younger kids can help stamp on the spots using a sponge dabber for an easy group project.
10. Peppa Pig Pink Pumpkin
This round pumpkin is painted entirely pink, with a curly snout shape added in a darker pink oval near the center. It rests on a fall mantel alongside other seasonal pieces.
Use a darker pink or magenta for the snout so it stands out clearly against the lighter pink base. This one is especially popular with toddlers who recognize Peppa right away.
11. George Dinosaur Toy Pumpkin
A green pumpkin features a small toy dinosaur silhouette painted on the front along with a light scale texture across the surface. It sits displayed on a shelf.
Use a stiff-bristled brush in a dabbing motion to create that scaly texture effect. This idea works well paired with a real toy dinosaur nearby for a playful shelf display.
SpongeBob and Sea Friends Pumpkins
12. Patrick Star Pink Pumpkin
A star-lobed pumpkin is painted pink from top to bottom, with a purple flower-shaped patch added as a fun accent. It sits set out on a table.
Look for a pumpkin with natural ridges or lobes at the craft store, since the shape does half the work for this design. This pairs naturally with the SpongeBob pumpkin for a fun sea-friends duo.
13. Squidward Teal Pumpkin
A tall pumpkin gets a full coat of teal green paint, with a long nose shape painted down the front for that instantly recognizable look. It sits displayed on a mantel.
Pick a tall, narrow pumpkin so the elongated nose shape has enough room to read clearly. A thin brush helps keep the nose outline smooth and even along its length.
14. Gary the Snail Pumpkin
A small pumpkin features a spiral shell pattern painted in blue and cream, along with whisker details for extra charm. It sits displayed on a shelf.
Paint the spiral shell using a small brush, working from the center outward in one continuous line for a clean swirl. This compact design suits smaller pumpkins that might otherwise go unused.
15. Krabby Patty Pumpkin
A squat pumpkin is painted brown on top and tan below, with a lettuce-green stripe running through the middle like a burger layer. It sits waiting on a porch step.
A squat, wide pumpkin shape mimics a burger bun naturally, so look for one with a flatter top. This design always gets a laugh from anyone who spots it on the porch.
16. Bikini Bottom Pumpkin Trio
Three pumpkins painted yellow, pink, and teal are grouped together on hay bales, creating a cheerful sea-friends display. Together they bring a whole undersea crew to your porch.
Paint each pumpkin separately, then group them once fully dry so the colors don’t transfer between them. This trio makes a great group project if you have three kids each picking a favorite character.
Cozy Classic Character Pumpkins
17. Snoopy White Pumpkin
A white pumpkin gets black ear shapes and a red collar band painted on, then rests on its side along the porch step. Turning it sideways gives the design a more natural, doggy shape.
Set the pumpkin on its side before painting so the ears land in the right spot for that reclining pose. This one works nicely with white or pale pumpkins found at most farm stands.
18. Charlie Brown Zigzag Pumpkin
This pumpkin is painted cream all over, with a bold yellow-and-black zigzag stripe wrapping around the middle. It sits displayed on a table.
Use painter’s tape in a zigzag shape to keep the stripe edges crisp while painting. This simple pattern makes it one of the easiest designs on this list for beginner painters.
19. Cookie Monster Blue Pumpkin
A fuzzy-textured blue pumpkin features large white googly eyes and a chocolate chip cookie shape near the mouth. It sits displayed on a shelf.
Use a stippling brush technique with the blue paint to create that fuzzy, textured surface. Craft-store googly eyes glued on after the paint dries add a fun three-dimensional touch.
20. Toy Story Star Boot Pumpkin
A pumpkin painted brown features a yellow star and a cow-print boot cuff pattern near the base. It sits displayed on a mantel.
Paint the brown base first, then add the yellow star using a stencil for clean, even points. This design brings a fun cowboy touch to a Halloween display without any complicated shading.
21. Kirby Pink Pumpkin
A smooth, round pumpkin is painted soft pink with tiny oval feet shapes and closed happy eyes added near the front. It sits on the porch steps looking extra cheerful.
Pick the roundest pumpkin you can find, since a smooth shape suits this simple, rounded character best. This design is one of the quickest on the list, perfect for a last-minute craft night.
22. Totoro Gray Pumpkin
A round pumpkin is painted gray, with a cream belly patch and two triangular ear tips added near the stem. It sits displayed on a shelf.
Mix black and white paint to get a soft, even gray base coat before adding the cream patch. This gentle color palette looks lovely tucked among other neutral fall décor.
Fun Favorites Character Pumpkins
23. Baby Shark Blue Pumpkin
This pumpkin is painted gray-blue with a white fin shape and a small triangle teeth pattern near the stem. It sits displayed on a table.
Add the fin as a separate painted piece of cardstock glued on for a bit of dimension, or paint it flat for a simpler version. This tune-inspired design is a guaranteed hit with the toddler crowd.
24. Cocomelon Yellow Pumpkin
This pumpkin features a bright yellow melon-slice pattern with a green rind edge painted around it. It sits on a windowsill surrounded by fall touches.
Paint the green rind edge first, then fill in the yellow center once the border is dry to keep the line crisp. This design is instantly recognizable to fans of the popular kids’ show.
25. Garfield Orange Pumpkin
A plump orange pumpkin keeps its natural color as the base, with heavy-lidded oval eyes and a wide lazy smile painted on. It sits displayed on a mantel.
Since orange is already the pumpkin’s natural color, this design saves time by skipping the base coat entirely. Focus your effort on getting those sleepy, half-closed eyes just right for full comedic effect.
26. Spider-Man Web Pumpkin
This pumpkin is painted in a diagonal split of red and blue, with fine white web lines added across the surface. It sits displayed on a porch step.
Use painter’s tape to create the diagonal split line before adding each color separately. Once dry, a thin paint pen works best for those delicate web lines.
27. Batman Emblem Pumpkin
A matte black pumpkin features a bold yellow oval with a bat silhouette centered on the front. It sits displayed on a table.
Paint the black base first and let it fully cure before adding the yellow oval, since dark colors often need extra drying time. This graphic design suits older kids and comic book fans who love bold shapes.