Pumpkin Pal

A lidded basket with a grinning pumpkin is perfect for autumn or as a Halloween treat bag.  This Pumpkin Pal is a great way to hand out candy to little kids or you can fill it with scented pine cones and use it as decoration throughout the fall.  This cute basket is also a great way to bring baked goods to a neighbor's house or hold your favorite Halloween decorations.  This whimsical decoration is a great challenge for painters of all skill levels, and makes a great gift for anyone who loves Halloween!

Materials:

• Americana Acrylics in the following colors:  Snow White, Cadmium Yellow (transparent), Cadmium Orange, Burgundy Wine (transparent), Lamp Black, Hauser Light Green, Bright Orange
• Hot Shots in Scorching Yellow, Torrid Orange, and Thermal Green
• Americana Water-based Stains in Light Oak
• Americana Brushes Liner 2
• Americana Brushes Flat 3/4"
• Americana Brushes Shader 10
• Americana Brushes Chisel Blender 2
• Americana Matte Spray
• Tracing and transfer paper
• Water container
• Pencil
• Palette or plastic plate
• Paper towels
• Fine point permanent black pen
• Basket with handle and lid, 8" x 6" x 5"

Instructions:

1. Use 3/4" flat brush to stain basket slats, inside and out, with Light Oak and paint lid Burgundy Wine.
    
2. When dry, paint lid with Bright Orange using flat brush. (Start brush strokes at top and bring them down to create illusion of pumpkin segments; refer to Picture 1 at bottom.)
    
3. Paint handle and slat around opening Bright Orange.
    
4. Emphasize segments by sideloading same brush with Burgundy Wine and floating to shade. Let dry.
    
5. When dry, draw or transfer face pattern.
    
6. Using most size-appropriate brush, paint teeth Snow White. Smile, nose, brows, and lid line are Cadmium Yellow. Eye sections are Cadmium Orange, Snow White, and Hauser Light Green. Pupils are Lamp Black with tiny Snow White dot at 2 o'clock.
    
7. Paint over Hauser Light Green with Hot Shots Thermal Green; Cadmium Orange with Torrid Orange, and Cadmium Yellow with Scorching Yellow.
    
8. Line heavily with Lamp Black using liner brush.
    
9. Use pencil to draw center line in Bright Orange handle and slat. Draw vertical lines to create check pattern.
    
10. Use 10 shader brush to paint alternating checks of Lamp Black and Hauser Light Green. When painting Hauser Light Green ones, allow some Bright Orange to show through.
     
11. Double outline checks with black pen.
     
12. Finish with light coats of Americana Matte Spray.