How to Make Marbled Pumpkins with Paint

Autumn is a lovely time for decorating. The air turns crisp, leaves start to change, and a change in mood occurs as fall festivals begin to appear. If you enjoy chilly weather weddings, here is one of my favorite painted pumpkin ideas to use as wedding decor.

So, you’re having a fall wedding and require a quick, simple, budget-friendly way to add some unique decor to your event. Well, why not try marbled pumpkins?

I promise that this technique is incredibly easy – it takes a day or so to dry, but once it does, you can showcase one of the most creative pumpkin painting ideas around. The best thing is that these marbled pumpkins can be made in a variety of colors to match your wedding decor.

You could even host a pumpkin painting party and invite family and friends to join in the fun of creating painted marbled pumpkins. The technique of marbling is high impact, yet oh so easy for the autumn season.

How to Make Marbled Pumpkins

Have you seen painted pumpkins? Pinterest fans most likely have. Again, this is one of the simplest pumpkin decorating ideas. When people see these, they won’t believe how simple they are to make! But first, let’s chat about the best paint for pumpkins.

How to Marble Pumpkins with Acrylic Paint Not Nail Polish

What is the best paint for marbling pumpkins?

If you think spray painting pumpkins is a good idea, well – you’re right! Additionally, if you prefer a solid color to show through instead of the natural orange, you can change the base color by spray painting. However, pumpkins are best marbled with acrylic paint. I think that is a fabulous way to use up old bottles of craft paint you have lying around!

Supplies for Marbled Pumpkin Painting

Pumpkins – from your local market
Wax Paper
Spray Paint (for painting pumpkins if you want a non-orange base)
Acrylic Paint (the best paint for marble pumpkin painting)

Steps for Pumpkin Marbling

Lay down waxed paper on a surface where you can leave marbled pumpkins to dry for a few days.
Clean the pumpkin by washing it with a mild soap to remove dirt. Then dry it thoroughly.
Basecoat your pumpkin (this is optional).
Near the stem of your pumpkin, go around in a circle and squeeze out a generous amount of paint. It will drip down the side. Repeat this process with a variety of colors to create a marbled effect on your pumpkin. Rotating your pumpkin or tilting it to one side can help the color run down more easily.
Let your pumpkin dry thoroughly in a protected area.

Modification: If you have leftover bottles of nail polish, you can use them too for no-carve pumpkin decor. Nail polish marbled pumpkins are also a popular trend. However, a marble nail polish pumpkin should be smaller than the ones used for this DIY project.

See the results of marbling pumpkins with acrylic paint.

Marbled Pumpkin Painting Demonstration

photos by Rhiannon Kathleen Studios

Doesn’t that make you want to host a pumpkin painting party?

Forego the scary painted pumpkins and choose one of our favorite pumpkin painting ideas! These could line a wedding aisle, and your guests could take them home, or you can place them on the porch of your new home together. Either way, these painted pumpkins are fun to make and are cute, too!

How about you?

Do you have any other ideas for pumpkin decorating? Autumn is a lot of fun, and fall weddings can easily incorporate pumpkins, both in flavor and decor. So fun, and happy planning!