Thundercloud on one pumpkin, its zigzag flash on the otherGray, white, yellow, navy. A wide gray cloud around one stem; one jagged yellow bolt down the other.
A flower for the month each person was born inSage green, each flower's colors. One stem per pumpkin rising from the base, the bloom just under the stem.
Pennant string swooping across the whole row of pumpkinsWhite, five flag colors. The cord dips across each front and meets its neighbor's cord at the edge.
A flower for the month each person was born inSage green, each flower's colors. One stem per pumpkin rising from the base, the bloom just under the stem.
Each person's favorite pie as one slice on a plateCream, golden brown, each filling color. A white plate circle on the front with one wedge on it.
Favorite hobby painted as one small icon on each pumpkinNavy, white. A ball, a book, a guitar, a whisk: one white icon each, centered on a navy coat.
First initials in one lettering, biggest pumpkin to smallestWhite, charcoal. Each person's initial fills the front; the same serif style and height on all of them.
Hats on the stems: a cap, a beanie, a sun hat, a hoodEach hat's own colors. The hat is painted around the stem and down over the shoulder; no face below.
Knit sweater patterns in one shared pair of colorsCream and one deep color. Zigzags, diamonds or dots in bands, a different band order on each pumpkin.
Last name spelled out, one letter per family pumpkinCream, black. One capital on the smoothest face of each pumpkin, set in spelling order on the steps.
Matching plaid, a different main color for each personNavy, red, mustard, green, cream. The same crossing bands on every pumpkin; each person picks the wide band.
One handprint each, smallest hand on the smallest pumpkinWhite, one bright color per person. A single print on the front, fingers pointing up to the stem.
Pet pumpkins: a mini with a paw print for each dog or catTan or gray, black. One paw print on the front and the pet's name lettered around the base.
Striped pajama pumpkins in everyone's own two colorsTwo colors per person, white. Even bands around each pumpkin, a row of three white buttons down one rib.
What each of us always says, lettered in a bubbleWhite, black. A rounded bubble on the front holds the person's catchphrase; its tail points down.
Sets that join into one picture 12
Long dachshund across three pumpkins: head, middle, tailRust brown, black. Ears and nose on the first, a plain belly on the second, back legs and tail on the last.
Midnight to sunrise: the sky a little later on each pumpkinNavy, violet, pink, peach, yellow. Stars on the first, a crescent moon next, a sun edge on the last.
Music staff across the row, one note on every pumpkinWhite, black. Five lines cross each front at matching heights; one round note per pumpkin, rising along the row.
One long striped scarf across the row, tassels at both endsRed, cream, navy. A band of stripes crosses each front at one height; tassel strokes on the first and the last.
One soil line through the row, a vegetable under it on eachBrown, orange, purple, cream, green. A carrot, a beet, an onion below the line; only leafy tops show above it.
One wide face over three pumpkins: eye, nose and grin, eyeBlack, white on bare orange. A big eye on each outer pumpkin; the nose and a grin fill the middle one.
Paint-chip row: one color, a step lighter on each pumpkinOne color plus white. The darkest pumpkin stands at one end and the palest at the other, in even steps.
Pennant string swooping across the whole row of pumpkinsWhite, five flag colors. The cord dips across each front and meets its neighbor's cord at the edge.
Picket fence around every pumpkin, a gate on the middle oneWhite, green, bare orange. Fence boards around each base at one height; grass tufts between the boards.
Tug-of-war rope across the row, a flag on the middle pumpkinTan, red, black. A rope line crosses each front at one height; hands grip it on the outer two; a red flag mid-row.
WELCOME down the steps, one capital on every pumpkinWhite on bare orange. One tall capital per pumpkin; seven pumpkins from the top step to the bottom.
Winding road crossing every pumpkin, a small car on the lastGray, yellow, green. A two-lane road with center dashes enters and leaves at one height on each.
Two pumpkins for two friends 12
A pair of sneakers shared out, one shoe per pumpkinAny two colors, white. A side-on sneaker on each front, toes pointing apart, laces in white.
Color-swap twins: my stripes in your color, yours in mineTwo colors. Stripes on one pumpkin and dots on the other, each painted in the other friend's color.
High five across the gap: an open hand on each pumpkinEach friend's own color. An open hand at the inner edge of each pumpkin, so the palms touch side by side.
Ketchup bottle pumpkin and mustard bottle pumpkinRed, yellow, white. A white label band around each middle; the stems painted as the bottle caps.
Knock-knock joke split across two pumpkinsWhite, black. The question lettered in a bubble on the first; the punch line in a bubble on the second.
Milk carton pumpkin beside a chocolate chip cookie pumpkinWhite, blue, tan, dark brown. A tall pumpkin as the carton; a squat one with chips dotted all over.
Paint palette pumpkin beside a paintbrush pumpkinTan, six bright colors, silver. Six paint blobs ring the front of one; a tall one is the brush, its top dipped in color.
Pencil pumpkin and eraser pumpkin for two desk matesYellow, pink, silver, black. A tall one in yellow with a painted point at the stem; a squat pink one.
Thundercloud on one pumpkin, its zigzag flash on the otherGray, white, yellow, navy. A wide gray cloud around one stem; one jagged yellow bolt down the other.
Two peas in one pod line running under both pumpkinsGreen, dark green, black. Both pumpkins solid green with a small face; one curved pod edge under the pair.
Two table tennis paddles, a white mini between as the ballRed, blue, tan. A round paddle face on each front, a tan handle toward the base; the mini is left plain white.
Two walkie-talkies, an antenna painted up each stemBlack, gray, green. A speaker grille and one button on each front; the stems are the antennas.
Big groups: a class, a team, a street 12
Band lineup: a different instrument on each pumpkinBlack, gold, one bright color each. One instrument drawn large on the front: a drum, a horn, a fiddle.
Birthday months: twelve pumpkins with the class names onTwelve colors, white. A month lettered at the top of each; students' names listed under their month.
Class alphabet line: a letter and a thing starting with itWhite, one bright color each. A capital at the top of the front and its picture below, in A to Z order.
Class color wheel: twelve pumpkins, one hue each, in a ringTwelve hues, white. One flat color per pumpkin with any white pattern on top; set in a ring in wheel order.
Crayon box for a class: one crayon color per studentEvery color in the box, black. A wavy black band around the middle with the student's name on it.
Entry-number rosette on every pumpkin in a contest rowBlue, gold, white. A pleated rosette on the front with the entry number in its middle, two ribbon tails.
Hidden mouse hunt: one tiny mouse on every porch pumpkinAny design, gray, pink. Each house hides one mouse no bigger than a thumb somewhere in its design.
Kind words pumpkin: classmates letter a word about its ownerPastel base, black. The owner's name at the top; each classmate adds one kind word below it.
Patchwork quilt wall, one fabric pattern on each pumpkinSix colors shared by all. Checks, dots, stripes, flowers: one pattern each, set on steps as a quilt.
Shape pumpkins for the youngest class, one big shape eachRed, yellow, blue. A circle, a square or a triangle fills each front in one flat color; no two neighbors alike.
Team stripes in color A and color B, a number in the middleColor A, color B, white. Three wide bands; each player's own number in white on the middle band.
Whole street in one color scheme, every porch its own numberBlack, white, one accent. The same border of dots on every pumpkin; each house paints its number inside.
How it works
A set is one design shared out over several pumpkins. These 48 family pumpkin painting ideas are no-carve sets in four groups of 12: families, pictures that join, pairs of friends and big groups.
Read the full guide
Duo pumpkin painting ideas
Two pumpkins for two friends holds 12 pairs that only read side by side: Milk carton pumpkin beside a chocolate chip cookie pumpkin; High five across the gap: an open hand on each pumpkin; Paint palette pumpkin beside a paintbrush pumpkin.
Group pumpkin painting ideas
Big groups holds 12 for a class, a team or a street. Crayon box for a class: one crayon color per student needs only a name band on each. Shape pumpkins for the youngest class, one big shape each asks for one flat color and no drawing.
Questions and answers
What are good pumpkin painting ideas friends can share?
Pick a pair that is finished only when the two stand together: Thundercloud on one pumpkin, its zigzag flash on the other, or Color-swap twins: my stripes in your color, yours in mine. Each friend paints one pumpkin.
How do you make a row of pumpkins look like one picture?
Carry one line across the gap at one height. In Winding road crossing every pumpkin, a small car on the last, the road enters and leaves each at one height. Music staff across the row, one note on every pumpkin does it with five lines.
How many pumpkins does a family set need?
One for each person, at any number. Hats on the stems: a cap, a beanie, a sun hat, a hood works for three people or nine, and Pet pumpkins: a mini with a paw print for each dog or cat adds the animals.
Do these sets need carving?
No. Every set is paint on whole pumpkins, with nothing cut. A painted pumpkin is a decoration and is not eaten, and which paint holds on pumpkin skin is on the paint label.