Wide stitched smile up to each cheekboneBrown. A thin thread line from beside each mouth corner up to the cheekbone, short stitches across it.
Scarecrow with a sunflower on one cheekYellow, brown, green. A sunflower on one cheek with a short green stem and one leaf; an X stitch on the other cheek.
Floppy hat tilted over one browTan, brown, orange. A slouched hat sits high over one brow, its brim dipping at the temple, an orange patch on it.
Blanket-stitch smile: a line with upright ticksBrown. A curved line from beside each mouth corner with short ticks standing on its upper side only.
Crooked smile, higher on one sideBrown. One thread line curves up to the cheekbone, the other runs level toward the ear; stitches across both.
Double-thread smile in two colorsBrown, orange. Two lines side by side, one of each color, from beside each mouth corner, stitches across both.
Half-sewn smile: stitches on one side onlyBrown, yellow. One cheek has the full stitched line; the other has a loose thread end and one wisp of straw.
Running-stitch smile: dashes and no lineBrown. A curve of short dashes, like hand sewing, from beside each mouth corner to the middle of the cheek.
Smile made of small X stitchesBrown. Six X stitches in a rising curve on each cheek, the first beside the mouth corner, the last on the cheekbone.
Stitched smile ending in a spiral on each cheekBrown, pink. Each thread line curls into a pink spiral on the apple of the cheek; short stitches cross the line.
Stitched smile with a button at each endBrown, red, white. Each thread line ends at a round red button on the cheek with four white thread holes.
Stitched smile with a heart at each endBrown, red. A curved thread line from beside each mouth corner, stitches across it, a small red heart where it ends.
Stitched smile with a spool of thread at one endBrown, blue. A stitched line on each cheek; on one side the thread runs on to a small blue spool painted near the ear.
Stitched smile with stitched brow linesBrown. A stitched curve on each cheek and a short stitched line above each brow, tilted like raised eyebrows.
Two cross-stitches at each mouth cornerBrown. Two small X stitches beside each corner of the mouth and nothing else; lips left bare.
Wide stitched smile up to each cheekboneBrown. A thin thread line from beside each mouth corner up to the cheekbone, short stitches across it.
Zigzag stitched smileBrown, tan. A zigzag thread runs from beside each mouth corner out across the cheek, a knot dot at each end.
Patches and straw 15
Burlap weave on both cheeksTan, brown. Fine crosshatch lines over a light tan sponge on each cheek, like sackcloth; frayed ticks at the edges.
Denim patch high on the forehead, yellow stitchingBlue, yellow, white. A blue patch near the hairline on one side, yellow stitch dashes around it, white frayed corners.
Full patched face: five patches joined by stitchesTan, red, blue, yellow, brown. Patches on the forehead, both cheeks, the nose tip and the chin, each edged in stitches.
Heart-shaped patch stitched in redTan, red. A tan heart on one cheek with a red running stitch just inside its edge.
Mismatched cheek patches: one in X's, one in dashesRed, green, brown. A red patch on one cheek sewn with X stitches, a green one on the other sewn with dashes.
Oval elbow-style patch on each cheekBrown, tan. A brown oval on each cheek with a tan running stitch around it, like the patch on a jacket elbow.
Plaid patch on one cheek, stitched all aroundRed, white, brown. A red square on the cheek crossed by white lines both ways, brown stitch ticks along every edge.
Polka-dot patch above one browBlue, white, brown. A blue patch on the forehead above one brow, white dots on it, brown stitches around it.
Side seam from temple to jaw with straw in itBrown, yellow. A stitched seam runs down one side of the face in front of the ear; straw tufts poke out along it.
Square patch sewn on as the noseOrange, brown. A small orange square over the tip of the nose, one brown stitch at each corner.
Straw cowlick curling over the foreheadYellow, tan. Three long straws start at the hairline and curl forward over the forehead, one bent in the middle.
Straw eyebrowsYellow, tan. Short straw strokes in two yellows fan upward above each brow, on the forehead only.
Straw poking out from under a cheek patchYellow, brown, tan. A tan patch on the cheek, stitched on three sides; yellow straw strokes stick out of the open side.
Striped patch on the chin with one loose threadBlue, white, brown. A small blue-and-white striped square on the chin, stitched around, one thread end curling free.
Three patches in three fabricsRed, blue, yellow, brown. A striped patch on one cheek, a dotted one on the forehead, a plain one on the jaw.
Friendly, for small children 13
Bird's nest at the hairline with three blue eggsBrown, blue, yellow. A small twig nest among straw strokes at one side of the hairline, three blue eggs in it.
Freckles and two straw wisps at one templeYellow, brown. Three brown freckle dots on each cheek; two short straw strokes poke out at one temple.
Heart-cheek scarecrowRed, orange, brown. A red heart on each cheek, an orange nose tip, a short stitched line above each brow.
Little scarecrow standing in a fieldBrown, yellow, blue, tan. A small figure on the cheek, arms out on a pole, blue shirt, straw at the cuffs.
Pumpkin-patch scarecrowOrange, green, brown. One small pumpkin on a curly green vine on the cheek, its leaf toward the ear; orange nose tip.
Rainbow-patch scarecrowRed, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown. Five small patches, each a different bright color, on the cheeks and forehead.
Scarecrow with a star-shaped patchYellow, brown. One yellow star patch on the cheek, a brown stitch across each of its five points; nothing else painted.
Scarecrow with a sunflower on one cheekYellow, brown, green. A sunflower on one cheek with a short green stem and one leaf; an X stitch on the other cheek.
Scarecrow with a wheat stalk at the mouth cornerYellow, brown. One wheat stalk painted from beside the mouth out across the cheek, grain dashes at its tip.
Scarecrow with apple cheeksRed, green, orange. A small red apple with a green leaf on each cheek and an orange dot on the nose tip.
Scarecrow with daisy cheeksWhite, yellow, orange. A daisy on each cheek, yellow middle and white petals, and an orange triangle on the nose.
Smiling scarecrow head on the cheekTan, yellow, brown. A cheek-size head: round tan face, straw hair, brown hat, dot eyes, a small stitched smile.
Striped triangle nose in yellow, orange and whiteYellow, orange, white. A small triangle on the nose in three bands, yellow at the base, white at the point.
With a hat and collar 16
Brown felt hat with a patch and a red bandBrown, red, tan. A brown hat shape high on the forehead, a red band across it, one tan patch stitched on.
Burlap collar with a frayed edgeTan, brown. A wide tan band painted low on the neck, crosshatch weave lines on it, frayed ticks along its upper edge.
Cheek-size straw hat with a flowerYellow, tan, red. A small straw hat on one cheek, a red flower on its band; nothing else on the face.
Floppy hat tilted over one browTan, brown, orange. A slouched hat sits high over one brow, its brim dipping at the temple, an orange patch on it.
Hat and collar only, face left bareTan, brown, yellow. A hat brim high on the forehead and straw at the neck; cheeks, nose and mouth unpainted.
Hat brim with a bite out of one sideTan, brown. A straw brim across the forehead with a ragged gap at one end and loose straws around the gap.
Hat brim with straw hair sticking out beneathBrown, yellow. A brown brim across the upper forehead; yellow straw strokes hang from under it at both temples.
Hat with a patchwork bandTan, red, blue, yellow. A tan brim across the forehead; the band above it is a row of small squares in three colors.
Hat with a sunflower tucked in the bandYellow, brown, green. A straw-colored hat high on the forehead, a brown band, one sunflower at the side of the band.
Hat with two wheat stalks in the bandTan, brown, yellow. A straw hat brim high on the forehead, a brown band, two wheat stalks standing up from the band.
Plaid shirt collar on the neckRed, black, white. Two collar points painted on the neck below the jaw, red crossed with black and white lines.
Ruffled collar with a stitched edgeOrange, brown. A wavy ruffle band around the neck, a brown running stitch along its lower edge.
Shirt collar with a patch and one buttonBlue, white, yellow. Two blue collar points on the neck, a yellow patch on one, a white button between them.
Straw collar fanning out below the jawYellow, tan. Straw strokes in two yellows fan down the neck from under the jawline, longest in the middle.
Straw hat brim across the foreheadYellow, tan, brown. A curved brim line high on the forehead with weave ticks on it; the crown runs into the hairline.
Tall crumpled hat with a bent topBrown, tan, yellow. A tall hat shape rises to the hairline, its top folded to one side; a tan patch, one straw.
How it works
These scarecrow face paint ideas run from two stitches beside the mouth to a full patched face: 14 stitched smiles, 15 of patches and straw, 13 friendly ones for small children and 16 with a painted hat or collar.
Read the full guide
Scarecrow face painting ideas, quick to full
Two cross-stitches at each mouth corner is the least paint on the list, and one dashed curve on each cheek makes Running-stitch smile: dashes and no line. Square patch sewn on as the nose and Straw eyebrows make a half-painted face. The most paint goes into Full patched face: five patches joined by stitches.
Why stitches, patches and straw
A scarecrow is a figure dressed in old clothes and stood in a field to keep birds off a crop, so its face is mending and stuffing: brown thread, odd fabric, straw poking out. Straw poking out from under a cheek patch shows the stuffing; the mending is Plaid patch on one cheek, stitched all around.
Questions and answers
What colors do you need for scarecrow face paint?
Brown for the stitches, orange for a nose, yellow and tan for straw, and one bright color for a patch. Smile made of small X stitches needs brown alone, and Straw eyebrows takes two yellows.
What is an easy scarecrow face for a small child?
Thirteen are filed under Friendly, for small children; among them are Scarecrow with apple cheeks, Scarecrow with daisy cheeks and Heart-cheek scarecrow. Smiling scarecrow head on the cheek is one small picture for a child who will not sit for a whole face.
How do you paint scarecrow stitches beside the mouth?
Start the thread line beside each mouth corner, not on the lips, curve it up the cheek and cross it with short ticks. For another stitch, try Zigzag stitched smile or Blanket-stitch smile: a line with upright ticks.
How do you paint a scarecrow hat on a forehead?
Paint the brim as a curved line high on the forehead and let the crown run into the hair. Straw hat brim across the forehead adds weave ticks. The rest can stay unpainted, as in Hat and collar only, face left bare.
How do you remove scarecrow face paint?
The way its label says, and before bed: the US FDA says not to go to bed with makeup on. A stitched smile is a few lines to wipe away; a full patched face is the most.