please read all the instructions before starting this project.
Needed Things
- Orange or black plastic Jack-o-lantern shaped candy buckets.
- Primer/cover-up paint like Kilz. Water base will be the easiest to clean up.
- Orange, Red, Yellow and Brown craft paint. The orange paint you get doesn't look anything like real pumpkins. Mixing and
smearing color into it will help make your 'forever pumpkins' look better.
- Paint brushes and something to mix paint in.
- Sharp serrated knife and parental guidance. Even if your a parent.
- Candle and all the common sense to use a lit one without catching yourself or anything ells on fire.
- Ink pen.
- Optional black paint for inside pumpkin
- Optional paintable caulking and caulking gun. If you want to give your forever pumpkin some debth around the eyes, nose
and mouth.
CAUTION These plastic pumpkins are not consistent in there thicknesses. You may find areas that
take some effort to cut then go right into a very thin spot. Take your time when cutting.
IDEA FOR SMALL KIDS Prepare the plastic pumpkin by applying the under coat of Kilz. Then paint it to look more natural.
Give the kids black magic markers and let them draw a face on the 'forever pumpkin'. You can add one or two for each kid a
year and end up with a huge Jack-o-lantern patch of your very own.
Getting Started
First cut the handle off then wash the pumpkin. When dry face the back of it to you and use the ink pen to draw the face
you want to cut into it.
Warning! If you don't have any common sense color in the face with a black magic marker and enjoy.
Light the candle and heat the end of the knife. Carefuly cut out along your ink drawing on the pumpkin. You will have to
reheat the knife.
When finished paint the plastic pumpkin inside and out with Kilz or your choice of water based stain blocking paint.
Pour about three tablespoons of orange craft paint in an open container. Mix in red and brown to make a more realistic
color. If you get it too dark add a touch of yellow. If you plan on painting the inside of the pumpkin make sure your color
is lighter. I paint all the insides black. I don't light (use battery operated) mine plus the face on the front side seems
to show.
If you plan on using caulking to add debth to your Jack-o-lantern do this before painting.
With the caulking gun run a think bead along the areas you with to have it. With your fingers shape it to the inside of
the Jack-o-lantern. You may need to do this twice to get it all covered. Let caulking dry somewhat before adding a second
layer.
