Two-tone face joined by a seam down the middle ribGreen, purple, black. Green left half, purple right; cross stitches down the middle rib; one eye on each side.
Scowl with the stem bent like a twisted hornBlack, purple. Brows meet in a V on the middle rib; mouth turned down across three; purple rings up the stem.
Brown square eye patch held by a cross stitch at each edgeGreen, brown, black. A brown square over one eye with a stitch at each edge; the other eye round; crooked smile.
Braces smile, a silver bracket on every toothBlack, white, silver. Teeth on seven ribs with a silver square on each and a wire line; the stem is a cap peak.
Cheeks puffed full of air, eyes squeezed into arcsBlack, pink. Arc eyes on the second ribs; a pink circle on each outer rib; tiny mouth; the stem is a topknot.
Cross-eyed face staring at a fly on its noseBlack, white, blue. Pupils both turned to the middle rib, where a small fly sits; the stem is a cap button.
Dizzy face with spiral eyes and a wobbly mouthBlack, white, yellow. A spiral on each third rib; a wavy line mouth; three stars circle the stem, a spinning top.
Freckled face with pigtail bows beside the stemBlack, brown, red. Dot freckles over three ribs; a red bow each side of the stem, which is the hair parting.
Gap-toothed grin with one square tooth per ribBlack, white. Eyes on the second rib each side; teeth on alternate ribs across five; the stem is a tuft of hair.
Giggling face hiding its mouth behind painted handsBlack, peach, white. Squeezed eyes on the second ribs; two mitten hands over the mouth; the stem is a pompom.
One raised eyebrow, the high brow on the stem sideBlack. One brow arched over the second rib, the other flat; smirk on the middle rib; the stem is a hair tuft.
Tongue-out face, the stem flopped over like a cowlickBlack, pink, white. Round eyes high on two ribs; pink tongue hangs over the middle rib; stem as a cowlick.
Upside-down face, mouth by the stem and eyes near the baseBlack, white. Smile curves round under the stem; eyes low on the third ribs; the stem becomes a chin tuft.
Whistling face, small O mouth and notes up one ribBlack, white. Eyes on the third ribs; a small ring mouth off to one side; notes climb to the stem, a hat peak.
Wink with a yellow star set inside the one open eyeBlack, yellow, white. One arc eye, one round eye with a yellow star; grin across three ribs; stem as a forelock.
Scary 12
Bat-wing eyebrows over small bright pupilsBlack, yellow. A scalloped wing shape above each eye on the second ribs; pinpoint yellow pupils; stem as an ear.
Cracked face, black fracture lines running from the stemBone white, black. White coat; thin cracks branch down from the stem between hollow eyes; small flat mouth.
Eyes only, glaring from the grooves beside the stemBlack, red, white. Two slanted eyes high up, one each side of the stem; no nose, no mouth; the stem is a brow knot.
Fanged underbite with two teeth pointing upBlack, white. Small eyes on the second ribs; a flat mouth with two fangs rising from the lower lip; stem horn.
Hollow oval eyes above a tall dark mouthBlack, dark gray. Tall ovals on the second ribs; a taller oval mouth on the middle rib, shaded gray at the edge.
Jagged zigzag mouth that climbs to the eye cornersBlack, white. Triangle eyes on the third ribs; the zigzag runs rib to rib and turns up at both ends; stem horn.
Long-toothed grin stretching across five ribsBlack, white. Narrow eyes on the third ribs; long thin teeth fill a grin five ribs wide; the stem is a horn.
Scowl with the stem bent like a twisted hornBlack, purple. Brows meet in a V on the middle rib; mouth turned down across three; purple rings up the stem.
Shadow face, features sponged dark on a gray pumpkinGray, black. Sponge soft black hollows for eyes and mouth over a dry gray coat; the stem is left bare, a stump.
Snarl showing a top row of triangles and no lower lipBlack, white. Slanted eyes on the third ribs; a straight lip line with white triangles under it; stem horn.
Three-eyed stare, the middle eye on the widest ribBlack, green, white. Two eyes on the third ribs and one higher on the middle rib; thin mouth; stem antenna.
Yellow slit eyes below one brow that dips in the middleBlack, yellow. One brow line across four ribs, low in the middle; yellow slit eyes under it; stem as a spike.
Sleepy and cute 12
Baby face with one curl by the stem and a round mouthBlack, peach, pink. Wide-set dot eyes on the third ribs; a tiny ring mouth; one painted curl beside the stem.
Closed eyes drawn as two curved lashes, pink cheeksBlack, pink. Lash arcs on the second ribs; a pink dot on each third rib; small smile; the stem is a hair bow.
Dreaming face, a thought cloud drawn up one ribBlack, white. Arc eyes on the second ribs; three white bubbles rise up one rib to a cloud beside the stem.
Half-closed lids and a small sideways smileBlack, lilac. Lilac lids cover the top half of each round eye on the second ribs; smile leans left; stem as a curl.
Heart-shaped nose between dot eyes set wide apartBlack, red. Dot eyes far out on the fourth ribs; a small red heart on the middle rib; no mouth; stem as a bow.
Nightcap painted from the stem down one sideBlue, white, black. Striped cap falls from the stem over two ribs; closed eyes and a small o mouth below it.
Rosy face with a daisy tucked behind the stemBlack, pink, white, yellow. Closed eyes and a smile on three ribs; one daisy painted where the stem meets the top.
Shy face peeking over a painted blanket edgeBlack, pink, yellow. A blanket line across the middle; only the eyes and pink cheeks show; stem as a topknot.
Snoozing face with a drool drop at the mouth cornerBlack, pale blue. Arc eyes on the third ribs; open mouth on the middle rib with one blue drop; stem as a tassel.
Starry navy sleep mask covering five ribs, smile beneathNavy, yellow, black. A navy band across five ribs dotted with stars; small smile under it; the stem is a pompom.
Tiny smile set low, eyes far apart above itBlack. Two small dots on the fourth ribs, halfway up; a short curve low on the middle rib; the stem stays a stem.
Yawning face with a single tiny toothBlack, pink, white. Shut arc eyes on the second ribs; a tall pink oval mouth with one tooth; stem as a nightcap tip.
Animal faces 12
Bat face, big ears painted up onto the shouldersBlack, purple, white. Purple coat; tall ears reach the top; small eyes on the second ribs; two fangs; stem tuft.
Bear cub face, cream muzzle across three ribsBrown, cream, black. Brown coat; a cream oval over the middle ribs holds nose and smile; ears beside the stem.
Bunny face, long ears folded down the sidesWhite, pink, black. White coat; pink-lined ears droop over the outer ribs; nose on the middle rib; stem as a tuft.
Cat face, the stem between two painted earsBlack, yellow, pink. Triangle ears either side of the stem; yellow eyes on the second ribs; whiskers over four ribs.
Fox face, white cheek points meeting below the noseWhite, black. Bare orange for the fur; white cheeks from the fourth ribs inward; black nose; stem between the ears.
Frog face, white eyes on the shoulders beside the stemGreen, white, black, pink. Green coat; white eyes on the shoulders by the stem; a mouth line across seven ribs.
Lion face, mane strokes fanning out from the stemGold, brown, black. Brown strokes fan from the stem over the top half; face low on three ribs; stem as a crown.
Mouse face, round ears beside the stem, long whiskersGray, pink, black. Gray coat; pink-centered ears at the top; dot eyes close together; whiskers past four ribs.
Owl face, feather tufts flaring either side of the stemBrown, cream, orange. Two cream discs across three ribs each; a beak on the middle rib; tufts beside the stem.
Puppy face with one ear patch and a pink tongueWhite, brown, pink, black. White coat; a brown patch over one eye and ear; tongue on the middle rib; stem cowlick.
Raccoon face, white-rimmed mask band over five ribsGray, black, white. Gray coat; black mask over five ribs with white rims; pointed nose; ears beside the stem.
Tiger face, stripes following the grooves inwardBlack, white. Bare orange; black stripes start in the grooves and point to the nose; white muzzle; stem tuft.
Stitched monsters 12
A new kind of stitch running down each groove of the faceGray-green, black. Dashes, crosses and zigzags run down alternate grooves; a small face sits between two seams.
Brown square eye patch held by a cross stitch at each edgeGreen, brown, black. A brown square over one eye with a stitch at each edge; the other eye round; crooked smile.
Button eyes of different sizes above a sewn smileGray-green, black, white. One large and one small button with thread crosses; a line smile with short stitches.
Curved seam smile with a loose thread at one endGreen, black. A smile made of one seam and seven stitches; the thread trails down a rib; stem as a tuft of hair.
Gray-green patchwork face with a zigzag black hairlineGray-green, black. Zigzag hairline under the stem; heavy-lidded eyes on the second ribs; a stitched brow line.
Mismatched ears sewn on at different heightsGreen, pink, black. One ear near the stem, one halfway down the side, each ringed with stitches; lopsided grin.
Monster of three fabrics meeting at the noseGreen, gray, purple, black. Three colored areas meet on the middle rib; a seam along each join; button nose.
Plaid, dotted and striped fabric squares sewn on both cheeksGray-green, three patch colors, black. A square patch on each cheek rib and one on the brow; stitches round each.
Stitched brow over heavy half-closed eyesGray-green, black, white. One seam with cross stitches above both eyes; lids half down; flat mouth; stem as a tuft.
Two-tone face joined by a seam down the middle ribGreen, purple, black. Green left half, purple right; cross stitches down the middle rib; one eye on each side.
Yarn-haired monster, loose threads hanging off the stemLilac, orange, black. Orange yarn strokes fall from the stem over the top; stitched mouth across three ribs.
Zipper mouth half open with stitches at both endsGray-green, silver, black. Silver zipper teeth across five ribs, open at one end; eyes on the second ribs.
How it works
These 60 faces are painted on a whole pumpkin with no carving and are sorted by expression. Most say where the eyes and mouth sit on the ribs, and many give the stem a part.
Read the full guide
Place the face by the ribs
A pumpkin's ribs work as a grid, so most detail lines count them: eyes on the second rib each side, a grin five ribs wide. The stem joins in as a cowlick, a horn or the tip of a nightcap: Nightcap painted from the stem down one side.
Halloween pumpkin face painting ideas, mild to scary
Happy and silly, Sleepy and cute and Animal faces suit a small child. Scary uses shape and shadow only, such as Long-toothed grin stretching across five ribs; no face shows a wound.
Questions and answers
What are some scary pumpkin face painting ideas that are not gory?
The Scary group holds 12 that work by shape: Yellow slit eyes below one brow that dips in the middle, Hollow oval eyes above a tall dark mouth, Jagged zigzag mouth that climbs to the eye corners. None uses red paint as blood.
Which are the cute pumpkin faces to draw in pencil first?
The 12 under Sleepy and cute. Most are a few curved lines, such as Closed eyes drawn as two curved lashes, pink cheeks, so paint can follow a pencil sketch.
Is there a stitched monster face?
Yes, 12 of them. Frankenstein painted pumpkin ideas take their name from the 1818 novel; Gray-green patchwork face with a zigzag black hairline is a stitched face without the flat head and neck bolts that films added later.
Is this face paint for a person's face?
No. These faces are painted on a pumpkin. Designs for a person's face, with what to check on the paint first, are on our face painting ideas page, listed under More tools.