Painted PumpkinsNo. 4463 · The 2026 edition
6 super cool ways to decorate pumpkins with black Sharpie
Skip the carving this year—grab a black Sharpie and transform plain pumpkins into spooky works of art with these six creative ideas.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at coolmompicks.com.
These six Sharpie-based pumpkin decorating techniques range from owl motifs to literary quotes, from paint-accented sketches to children's doodles. No carving required, just a black Sharpie and optional paint or paint pens. Perfect for all ages and skill levels.
You'll need
Directions
- Create owl pumpkins using a black Sharpie, taking inspiration from Mexican folk art sugar skulls—give them large eyes, wings, and ear tufts.
- For a spooky literary twist, draw a raven and cobwebs, then write lines from Edgar Allan Poe, 'Nightmare Before Christmas', or 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'.
- Achieve a picturesque autumn effect by combining Sharpie outlines with a small amount of paint on the pumpkin.
- Draw sleek, minimalist geometric patterns and playful winking eyes on your pumpkins using paint pens—no carving needed.
- Let children go wild with mismatched, quirky doodles using black Sharpies to create Zentangle-style pumpkins.
- Hand-sketch designs like zigzag stripes reminiscent of Charlie Brown's sweater or bold leopard print using a black Sharpie.
