The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Pumpkin Drip Art Paintings

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Make some beautiful artwork using pumpkins as a canvas!

pumpkin drip art painting autumn fall
When we saw that pumpkins were reduced to just £1 each at the supermarket this week we just had to buy some to decorate for a pretty Autumn display. It’s great to try out new and unusual canvases for art work, and the spherical shape of pumpkins makes them ideal for drip painting!
We used children’s acrylic paints straight from the bottle so that they would be easy to squeeze out in a controlled way. Cakie simply squeezed the colours directly onto the top of the pumpkins, then let the paint start to slowly dribble down the sides!
It is important to use a thicker paint like acrylic as it needs to move slowly down the side. It is also a very quick-drying paint which helps the drips to set in place quickly.
She layered some colours on top of each other and I suggested some overlap too so that they would mix and merge nicely as they dripped down. We have a few glitter acrylics which are so beautiful!

The gorgeous little puddles of paint that accumulated at the bottom were little works of art in their own right! We have a couple of painting oil-cloth table cloths for messy activities like this!

Here is one of the finished results before it dried. The colours are so bright and the paint type makes them really shine!

A little close up!

And when Little Sister saw what we had been doing without her she was not impressed! So she had a go at painting large cooking apples, which she was totally absorbed by. They turned out really sweetly too!
The finished pumpkins after being left to dry out overnight. Beautiful little works of art! We will display these along with some Indian corn and leaves that we have collected. I love Autumn!

Learning Links:

  • creativity: using a range of media, experimenting with surfaces and materials to make marks on, explore colour in 2D and 3D, talk about colour mixing
  • motor skills: use a tool correctly, exercise hand muscles by squeezing paint bottles
Cakie: 37 months
Pop: 18 months

 
Stunning pumpkin drip art project for all ages to enjoy!

Comments

  16. Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses says

    Who wouldn’t love these? This project is beautiful!!

    We did something interesting and hilarious with pumpkins and paint yesterday. I hope you stop by and check it out. I think you all would have fun with it too. I uploaded it to the Playtime linky, but here’s the link if you’d like to check it out. The playtime linky is doing amazing, by the way!!

    http://dinosaursandoctopuses.blogspot.com/2011/10/chuckin-pumpkin-painting.html

  18. Toddler Approved says

    These are gorgeous and look like so much fun. I knew I saved a squeeze ketchup bottle for a reason… it would be perfect to squirt pumpkins with! Adding this to my list of things to try.

  26. Jude says

    Hmm – I fancy doing something similar to make some Christmas tree baubles – maybe I could use some polystyrene balls?? Must buy some pearlised paint – I think a trip to the craft shop is in order!

  28. Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

    Tina that was made by my friend and is a very clever invention! She made it into a smock shape with elasticated neck and sleeves and lined it at the front with a shower curtain!! I’ve tried to persuade her to make them to sell as I’m sure loads of people would buy them, but she’s too busy. Sorry not to be any more help!

  34. Tina says

    Anna – your friend should definitely sell those smocks! I would buy one! Maybe she should set up a shop on Etsy. 🙂