Haunted Tree Spirit Painted Pumpkin With Raven

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick and prep the pumpkin

   Choose a large pumpkin with a smooth, evenly rounded front and few deep ribs, since flat space makes a painted face easier. Wipe the skin down with a damp cloth and let it dry fully so paint grabs the surface. Set it on a towel ring so it will not roll while you work. Sketch the face, branches, raven, and moon lightly in pencil or washable marker first.

2. 2

   Block in the moon and base tones

   Paint the pale full moon on the upper right with an off white or cream acrylic, softening the edge so it looks hazy. Lay a midtone brown base over the whole face and root area to establish the bark. Keep these first layers thin and let each coat dry before adding the next. Do not chase detail yet, just get your big shapes placed.

3. 3

   Build the branches and face structure

   With a fine round brush and darker brown, paint the twisting branches spreading up into the sky and down into the knuckled roots. Carve the face out with shadow, deepening the eye sockets, the sides of the nose, and the mouth. Use short, flowing strokes that follow the direction of real wood grain. Add the raven as a solid dark silhouette perched across the moon.

4. 4

   Add highlights and the eyes

   Switch to a pale tan or bone color and drybrush highlights onto the brow, cheekbones, nose ridge, and the tops of the roots to make them pop forward. Paint the eyes last so they stay crisp, using a warm amber with a tiny white catchlight in each. Keep the amber bright against the dark sockets for that watchful stare. Step back often to check the face still reads from a few feet away.

5. 5

   Seal and protect

   Once everything is bone dry, take the pumpkin outside or to a ventilated space and mist it with a matte spray sealer. Two light coats beat one heavy coat and prevent drips. This skin lets the detail survive damp porch nights without going glossy. Let it cure before handling.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Because this design is painted rather than cut, use a battery LED spotlight placed low and to one side rather than a light inside. Strong side lighting rakes across the raised bark strokes and throws shadow into the eye sockets, which sells the spirit after dark. Never use a candle near sealer or paint. Snap your photo in that side light against a dark background.