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Halloween Painting Ideas

Three ideas, each a Halloween canvas, its palette and the single step that makes it glow, fade or loom.

Halloween Painting Ideas

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  1. Scarecrow with crows at moonriseNavy, yellow, black, burnt umber. Set the scarecrow against the moon and perch one crow on each arm.
  2. Jar of eyeballs on a shelfWhite, lime green, red, black, grey. Glaze thin green over the dry jar so the eyes look sunk in liquid.
  3. Frog in a witch hat on a lily padLime green, sap green, black, purple, white. Two white eye dots with black pupils looking up at the hat brim.

Next step More cute canvases, in pastel coloursMore night scenes on a black canvas

All 91 ideas

Easy 28

  • Arched black cat on a pumpkin-orange ground Orange, black, yellow, white. One flat black shape, back arched and tail up, with two yellow almond eyes.
  • Blood moon over a cornfield Red, orange, black, burnt umber. Blend the moon orange to red and flick the corn stalks up in black.
  • Broom parked against a crescent moon Navy, cadmium yellow, burnt umber, black. Lean the broom on the lower horn of the crescent and splatter a few stars.
  • Candy corn trio with faces White, orange, yellow, black. Band each kernel in its three colours, with the wide end yellow, and add two dot eyes.
  • Corner web with one spider Black, white, grey. Pull spokes from one corner with a liner and sag every thread between them.
  • Ghost blowing a bubblegum bubble Black, white, pink. One white ghost on black and one flat pink circle, with a small white shine on the bubble.
  • Ghost peeking round a door Black, white, purple, yellow. Show half a ghost and one hand on the door edge, with yellow light spilling through.
  • Glowing jack-o'-lantern in the dark Black, orange, cadmium yellow, white. Paint the cut face yellow, let it dry, then glaze orange round it for the glow.
  • Haunted house on an orange to purple sky Orange, magenta, purple, black, yellow. Blend the sky, palest low down, paint the house flat black and light one window.
  • Headstones fading into fog Payne's grey, white, black. Paint each row of stones paler than the row in front, then scumble white along the ground.
  • Iron gate with the full moon behind Cadmium yellow, white, navy, black. Sponge the moon, then rule the gate bars over it with a liner and a card edge.
  • Lantern grin floating in black Black, cadmium yellow, orange. Paint only the eyes, nose and grin, yellow in the middle and orange at the edges.
  • Mummy face in drybrushed bandages Cream, white, grey, black, yellow. Drag crossing bandage strokes with a nearly dry flat brush and leave a gap for eyes.
  • Pairs of eyes in a dark wood Black, navy, cadmium yellow, lime green. Paint trunks one step lighter than the ground and dot eye pairs at odd heights.
  • Pumpkin wearing a witch hat Orange, black, purple, lime green. Tilt the hat, band it in purple, and let the brim cast a darker orange shadow.
  • Sheet ghosts pegged on a washing line Pale blue, white, grey, black. Peg three ghosts on a sagging line and shade the same side of each in grey.
  • Skeleton hand making a peace sign Black, white, orange. Three short bones per finger, two fingers up, on a flat black or orange ground.
  • Skeleton waving hello Black, white, grey. Build it from white bone shapes on black: a skull, curved rib strokes and stick limbs.
  • Sponged full moon with bats Cadmium yellow, white, navy, black. Sponge the moon in yellow and white, then scatter flat black bats across it.
  • Three ghosts holding hands Purple, white, black, pink. Three white bell shapes on flat purple, each a different height, with pink cheeks.
  • Three lanterns on a fence at dusk Orange, magenta, purple, black, yellow. Blend the dusk, paint fence and pumpkins flat black, then cut faces in yellow.
  • Trick-or-treaters on a hill at sunset Yellow, orange, magenta, black. Blend a sunset, then line up small costume shapes in black: hat, sheet, wings, tail.
  • Web scratched through wet black paint Orange, yellow, black. Let a bright ground dry, coat it black, and scratch the web through while the black is wet.
  • Witch flying across the moon Cadmium yellow, white, navy, black. Sponge the moon, let it dry, and paint witch and broom as one flat black shape.
  • Witch hat and broom by a door Purple, black, burnt umber, orange. Flick the broom bristles with a fan brush and buckle the hat in orange.
  • Witch's boots with curled toes Black, purple, orange, white. Two boots, striped socks above them, and one white shine line down each toe.
  • Wolf howling on a rock Navy, cadmium yellow, white, black. Sponge the moon, then paint wolf and rock as one joined black shape.
  • The word BOO with eyes in the Os Black, white, orange. Block the letters in white on black and turn each O into an eye that looks a different way.

Cute, not scary 23

  • Bat asleep upside down, wrapped in its wings Purple, black, grey, pink, white. Fold the wings like a cloak, leave a small face showing, and blush the ears pink.
  • Bat family on a branch Navy, purple, black, white, pink. Hang three bats in a row by size and give the smallest a pink bow.
  • Black cat riding a broom Navy, black, yellow, white, orange. Splatter the stars first, then paint the cat upright with its tail as the rudder.
  • Candy apple with one bite out Red, alizarin crimson, cream, white, burnt umber. Glaze red over a dry lighter red so the coating looks glassy.
  • Candy bucket pumpkin spilling sweets Orange, black, pink, lime green, white. Dot the wrapped sweets with a cotton bud and twist their ends with a liner.
  • Friendly patchwork monster portrait Lime green, purple, black, white, pink. Patch the face in two greens and stitch the seams with a liner.
  • Frog in a witch hat on a lily pad Lime green, sap green, black, purple, white. Two white eye dots with black pupils looking up at the hat brim.
  • Ghost dog with a bone White, pale blue, black, pink. Float the dog with no feet, tail wagging in three fading strokes.
  • Ghost hugging a pumpkin White, pale grey, orange, black, pink. Wrap two stubby arms round the pumpkin and blush the cheeks with a dry brush.
  • Ghost reading in an armchair White, burnt sienna, mustard, black, pale grey. Drape the ghost over the chair arms and give it small round glasses.
  • Little vampire with a tall collar Purple, black, pale grey, red, white. Big head, small body, two dot fangs, and a collar that stands above the ears.
  • Little witch stirring a pot Purple, lime green, black, peach, orange. Make her head a third of her height, with dot eyes set low on the face.
  • Lollipop ghosts tied with ribbon White, orange, black, lime green. Three round heads under gathered tissue skirts, each tied with an orange bow.
  • Monster feet sticking out from under a bed Purple, lime green, pink, white, black. Stripe the blanket, then poke out two furry feet with three toes each.
  • Row of five lanterns, five moods Orange, black, yellow, purple. Give each face its own mouth: grin, gasp, smirk, zigzag, one tooth.
  • Sheet ghost holding a candy bucket White, pale grey, orange, black, purple. Shade the sheet folds in pale grey and keep the eyes two tall black ovals.
  • Spider in eight little boots Lime green, black, purple, orange, white. Hang the spider from one thread and paint each boot a different colour.
  • Stack of pumpkins with a black cat on top Orange, black, purple, yellow, white. Curve the rib strokes, then sit the cat on top as one flat shape with two eyes.
  • Striped witch legs sticking out of a cauldron Black, white, purple, lime green, orange. Tape the stocking stripes for clean edges and curl the shoe toes.
  • Tiny pumpkins with bat wings Purple, orange, black, white. Fly three small pumpkins across a flat purple ground on scalloped black wings.
  • Toad sitting on a spell book Olive green, lime green, burnt umber, purple, yellow. Dab the warts with a cotton bud, light green on dark.
  • Trick-or-treat haul laid out flat Orange, purple, lime green, pink, white. Arrange sweets seen from above in rows and give each a small drop shadow.
  • Two skeletons dancing Purple, white, black, orange. Bend every joint a different way and join the pair at one raised hand.

Spooky 39

  • Abandoned carousel in mist Payne's grey, teal, cream, black. Paint the horses as pale shapes only one step lighter than the fog.
  • Bare tree hung with tiny lanterns Purple, black, orange, yellow. Paint the tree flat black on dry purple, then hang orange dots with a yellow centre.
  • Bats pouring out of a cave at dusk Orange, magenta, purple, black. Shrink the bats as they leave, from thumb-sized by the cave to ticks far away.
  • Bubbling cauldron with a green glow Black, lime green, yellow, purple. Drybrush green light up onto the rim and dot the bubbles with a cotton bud.
  • Candle melting on top of a pumpkin Orange, cream, cadmium yellow, black. Drag cream wax drips down over the dry ribs and halo the flame in yellow.
  • Cobwebbed chandelier Black, grey, cream, cadmium yellow. Drag thin grey web strands between the arms with a nearly dry liner.
  • Crow on a bare branch against a red moon Red, orange, black. Blend the moon from orange at its centre to red at the rim, then add crow and branch in black.
  • Crystal ball full of swirling mist Purple, magenta, white, black. Swirl the mist wet inside the circle and add one curved white highlight when dry.
  • Dead tree with a swing moving on its own Payne's grey, white, black. Tilt the swing off vertical, blur its ropes a little, and scumble mist round the roots.
  • Face in a haunted mirror Black, gold, pale green, grey. Frame in gold first, then drybrush a pale face that fades out before the edges.
  • Floating candles in a dark hall Black, burnt umber, cream, cadmium yellow. Halo every flame with a drybrushed yellow ring, brightest at the wick.
  • Forest path in fog with one lamp Payne's grey, white, black, yellow. Fade the trunks paler with distance and drybrush a soft ring round the lamp.
  • Ghost at the top of a staircase Black, burnt umber, white, pale blue. Narrow the stairs as they climb and drybrush the ghost so the banister shows.
  • Ghost in a field at dusk Lavender, peach, white, Payne's grey, yellow ochre. Drybrush the ghost thin at the hem so the grass shows through.
  • Ghost ship in green fog Black, teal, lime green, white. Drybrush the torn sails pale green so that the dark sky shows through the holes.
  • Graveyard on a hill with a crooked gate Navy, purple, black, cadmium yellow. Blend the night sky, then cut the hill, stones and gate in one flat black.
  • Hand reaching out of the ground Black, lime green, grey, purple. Light the fingers from below with drybrushed green and keep the soil flat black.
  • Hooded figure with a lantern on a bridge Payne's grey, black, cadmium yellow, white. Scumble fog over the dry bridge and let the lantern be the only yellow.
  • House on a cliff in a lightning flash Purple, black, white, navy. Pull the bolt in pure white with a liner and drybrush a pale halo along it.
  • Jar of eyeballs on a shelf White, lime green, red, black, grey. Glaze thin green over the dry jar so the eyes look sunk in liquid.
  • Lantern face thrown on a brick wall Black, orange, cadmium yellow, burnt sienna. Repeat the cut face, stretched tall, as yellow light on the wall behind.
  • Lanterns lining porch steps at night Navy, black, orange, cadmium yellow. Drybrush a pool of yellow light on the step under each lantern.
  • Moth under an arch of moon phases Black, gold, cream, Payne's grey. Mirror the wings left to right and dot the phases in an arch above them.
  • Owl with lit eyes in a dead tree Navy, black, cadmium yellow, orange. Keep owl and tree flat black and make the two round eyes the only warm colour.
  • Potion bottles on a shelf Purple, lime green, teal, black, white. Glaze each liquid over a dry white bottle shape so that it glows.
  • Pumpkin patch under a full moon, one lantern lit Navy, orange, cadmium yellow, black, white. Keep every pumpkin dull except one, and halo that one in drybrushed yellow.
  • Pumpkin-headed scarecrow in a night field Navy, orange, burnt umber, yellow, black. Light the head from inside and leave the coat and field nearly black.
  • Raven perched on a skull Payne's grey, black, cream, purple. Drybrush a blue-grey sheen along the wing so the bird is not one flat black.
  • Rider with a pumpkin for a head Orange, black, navy, cadmium yellow. Rear the horse as a flat black shape and make the lit pumpkin the only colour.
  • Row of haunted townhouses Purple, black, yellow, orange. Vary the rooflines, then light the windows at random and leave one house fully dark.
  • Scarecrow with crows at moonrise Navy, yellow, black, burnt umber. Set the scarecrow against the moon and perch one crow on each arm.
  • Skull with a candle burning on top Black, cream, cadmium yellow, burnt umber. Light the skull from above: bright crown, dark sockets, wax running down.
  • Spell book open beside a candle Burnt umber, cream, cadmium yellow, black, purple. Light only the near page and let the far one fall into shadow.
  • Tree with a face in the bark Payne's grey, black, burnt umber, lime green. Pull the knots into two eyes and a mouth, and drag bark with a card edge.
  • Turnip lantern with a candle inside Cream, purple, cadmium yellow, black. Glaze yellow inside the cut eyes; turnips did this job before pumpkins.
  • Vampire's coffin with the lid ajar Black, burnt umber, purple, white. Spill a wedge of purple light from the gap and leave the inside unseen.
  • Will-o'-the-wisp lights over a bog Black, teal, lime green, white. Drybrush small pale green glows low over the water, brighter at their centres.
  • Witch at a lit window Black, cadmium yellow, orange, purple. Paint the window yellow first, then the hat and nose in profile across it.
  • Witch's cottage with a crooked chimney Purple, black, orange, lime green. Lean every wall a little off true and light the windows a sickly green.

Witches and magic 1

  • Dried herbs and a black kettle over a fire Black, orange, olive green, burnt umber, yellow. Drybrush orange firelight up one side of the kettle only.

How it works

Halloween painting ideas run on black: it is in 87 of these 91 acrylic canvases. Every result comes with its tubes and one move: a sponged moon, a flat black silhouette, thin orange glazed over dry yellow.

Read the full guide

Easy Halloween canvas painting ideas, sorted by mood

Mood, under the button, holds 28 Easy, 34 Cute, not scary, and 52 Spooky. The cute Halloween painting ideas suit a table shared with children: Ghost reading in an armchair, Spider in eight little boots. Spooky means fog, moonlight and things half seen, never gore. Under More filters, Subject adds 19 witch painting ideas, Bubbling cauldron with a green glow among them.

Why spooky painting ideas need so few tubes

Orange, purple and green are the three secondary colours, so red, yellow, blue, black and white mix nearly every palette here. Night scenes follow one order. Blend the sky or sponge the moon, let it dry, then lay the silhouette, a solid black shape. Dry acrylic resists water, so the black cannot muddy the sky.

  • Witch flying across the moon is the beginner's pick: one sponged circle, one flat black shape.
  • Lantern glow is a glaze: thin orange over dry yellow, so light bounces back off the yellow.
  • Yellow and purple are opposites, so a lit window looks brighter on a purple house than on a grey one.

Questions and answers

Which easy Halloween painting ideas fit into one evening?

The simple Halloween painting ideas sit under Easy. Headstones fading into fog takes three tubes, and so does The word BOO with eyes in the Os. Candy corn trio with faces takes four and no drawing: each kernel banded in three colours, wide end yellow.

What paint do I need for a Halloween canvas?

Mostly black: the silhouettes use it by the brushload. White is in 51 of the 91 palettes, orange and yellow in 41 each, purple in 38 and lime green in 20. Add a sponge for moons and a liner for webs.

Which Halloween pumpkins can I paint on canvas?

Under More filters, Subject holds 17 Pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns. Glowing jack-o'-lantern in the dark paints the cut face yellow, then glazes orange round it. Turnip lantern with a candle inside paints the older kind: turnips did this job in Ireland and Britain before pumpkins.

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