Making a Halloween pumpkin salt painting is an easy art project for kids and adults that only takes minutes to set up.
Younger children will need assistance creating their Jack o’ Lanterns pumpkin art, while older children will be able to complete this project from start to finish on their own.
For more fun ideas, be sure you pop over to check out this awesome collection of Halloween Art Projects Kids LOVE!
Halloween Pumpkin Salt Painting for Kids
Related: The Best Fall Art Project for Kids
Halloween Pumpkin Art Salt Painting Materials
You can complete this Halloween pumpkin salt painting project using liquid watercolors and pipettes or paint brushes, or you can use a solid watercolor pallet with a cup of water and a paintbrush. Both are great for fine motor practice and hand-eye coordination. See the directions below for more information.
- Black cardstock (construction paper can be used, but is a bit too thin to handle the weight of this project)
- White colored pencil
- White glue
- Salt
- Liquid watercolors or solid watercolor pallet
- Paint brush or pipette
We like to work on our DIY outdoor art table and mud kitchen. Click on the link to learn how to make your own!
Related: Gorgeous Glowing Halloween Lanterns
How to Make Halloween Jack o’ Lantern Art
As mentioned above, there are a few different ways to do this Halloween art project. Please read through these directions before starting your pumpkin craft. For more tips and pictures about this process be sure you check out our harvest pumpkin watercolor art.
1. Draw a pumpkin on black cardstock using a white colored pencil. You can do this for your child like I did or have them give it a go on their own. Don’t worry I thought I couldn’t do it either, and mine turned out okay. It doesn’t need to be perfect. You will be covering the lines with white glue next.
2. Trace the outline of the pumpkin with white glue and then cover with salt. Your child may need help with this.
Note: The colors will bleed into each other if the glue and salt lines touch. Keep them separate if you do not want the colors to run. Work with orange first so the orange does not bleed into the yellow. It does not matter much if the yellow bleeds into the orange. It will still appear orange.
3. Shake off the excess salt and use a pipette or brush to apply orange watercolor paint (or color of choice) to the salt that is now stuck to the lines of glue.
If you are using liquid watercolor you can use a pipette like my daughter below, or a paintbrush. If you are using a watercolor pallet you will need to apply the paint with a paint brush. Don’t forget that you will need a cup of water if you choose this option.
How to Make Halloween Pumpkin Art Continued
4. Cover the jack o’ lantern face with white glue. You can just trace the outline or fill in the whole area with glue like we did. Sprinkle salt on top. Shake off the excess salt and paint the face yellow (or color of choice).
5. Trace the stem with white glue, add salt, shake off the excess, and then paint it green (or color of choice). Be careful not to let the glue and salt lines touch if you don’t want green to run into the orange.
You can see how the orange and green combined a bit in our Halloween pumpkin salt painting in the photo below. The top of our pumpkin looks a little black. Also notice, how the orange and yellow stayed separate because the lines did not touch, and we used orange first.
Another way to create this pumpkin art is to outline the entire pumpkin with glue and sprinkle with salt in one go instead of working in the stages described above.
More Salt Painting Projects
To see more pictures using the same process and learn more about salt painting check out some of our other fun projects:
Making a Halloween pumpkin salt painting is an easy art project for kids that only takes minutes to set up. Kids preschool age and up will enjoy the craft technique used to create this raised watercolor decoration. Try it today!
For more Halloween fun check out our Glowing Pumpkin and Glowing Ghost Calm Down Sensory Bottles. They make great calm down lanterns and decorations for Halloween night and are perfect for kids that get a little anxious about Halloween and all of its friendly frights.
Oh, and, don’t forget to pop over to check out this awesome collection of Halloween Art Projects Kids LOVE!
If You Liked Jack o’ Lantern Art, You may also like:
- Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Ideas (Includes our favorite pumpkin books!)
- Top 10 DIY Halloween Lanterns
- Tissue Paper Ghost Craft
- 13 Healthy Treats and Fun Alternatives for Halloween
- Top 10 Fall Nature Crafts (Contains pumpkin and jack o’ lantern ideas)
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I do not understand what you mean about not letting the glue and salt touch. Is there one line or two? Also does the paint go on the glue or just the salt?
I’m sorry I did not make it clear Sharon. The glue and salt have to touch, just make sure the orange lines of the pumpkin do not touch the lines that will be green or yellow if you do not want the colors to run. You will paint the salt AND the glue. You will need to pour salt on the glue, shake off the excess, and then paint the salt that is now stuck to the glue. I hope that makes sense.
Yes that makes sense. Thanks for responding back. It looks like a cute project for my grandson!!
You’re welcom Sharon! I’m sure your grandson will love this project, my daughter sure did! I just published another post today with a similar process that will help it make more sense. You can find it here: https://rhythmsofplay.com/harvest-pumpkin-watercolor-art-project/