The pumpkins are painted and patinated using craft paint.
1. Paint one half of the pumpkin either with green or orange craft paint (enabling you to hold on to a non-painted area). Here we have started with eucalyptus green.
2. Paint orange craft paint on top of the first layer of green paint on one side of the pumpkin (wet on wet) using an almost dry brush. You may smooth the paint with a little water on the brush. Then paint the other side of the pumpkin using the same procedure.
3. You may apply another coat of paint on top (a thin green coat of paint). The orange colour should still be visible.
4. Using a pointed brush, paint the grooves of the pumpkin with a mixture of the following paint colours; chocolate, pumpkin and/or army green.
5. Now work with almost no paint on the brush and the colour army green. The colour underneath must shine through. Play with the colours on the pumpkin to make it look like the real thing!