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This Jack Skellington Pumpkin painting idea is the perfect pumpkin craft for Halloween! Easy to make, budget friendly and mess free, it’s a fun activity that kids of all ages will love!

Originally published September 2018 – Updated September 2023

Jack Skellington Pumpkin

I might be a little obsessed with painted pumpkins! They’re such a fun way to get creative for Halloween without the mess. Some of my favorites are movie characters, like this magical Harry Potter pumpkin or this silly Minion pumpkin. Each one has its own personality, and it’s so much fun watching bringing them to life with a little paint.

Jack Skellington has been on my list for a while, and I knew he’d be perfect for another no-carve design. His spooky grin really makes him stand out on the porch for Halloween (and it gives me an excuse to add another painted pumpkin to my constantly growing collection)! And if you need an excuse to get even craftier, you can make a Sally Pumpkin to keep Jack company!

Want more fun painted pumpkins based on movie characters? Little Monsters Inc fans will love making this Mike Wazowski Pumpkin (and a Sully Pumpkin to go with it). Scroll to the end to see my entire list of cute pumpkin ideas!

Why We Love This Jack Skellington Halloween Craft

Mess free – Pumpkin carving is super messy but when you use a fake pumpkin, you skip having to do all that cleanup.
Easy – This painted pumpkin couldn’t be easier! It just involves painting and drawing so it’s great for kids of all ages.
Budget friendly – There aren’t many crafts with a supply list quite this short. It makes for a Halloween activity that’s both fun and cheap…the perfect combination if you ask me!

What You’ll Need

Foam craft pumpkin (I find mine at Dollar Tree but you can also pay a little more and order from Amazon.
Black Marker
Glossy White Acrylic Paint

I LOVE these foam pumpkins and have used them for almost all of my of pumpkin projects. They’re only $1 and you can do so many things with them!

Ready to make your own Jack pumpkin? Let’s get started!

More Halloween Fun

Want more ways to keep the kids entertained? Check out these cute Halloween ideas.

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Jack Skellington Pumpkin

Active Time 30

Drying time 1 30

Total Time 2

This easy no-carve Jack Skellington pumpkin uses paint so you can leave the mess behind. It's a fun Halloween craft inspired by the classic The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Equipment

Materials

▢ 1 Foam craft pumpkin
▢ White acrylic paint glossy or matte

Instructions

Start by painting the entire pumpkin white. Let the first coat dry for about 30 minutes, then paint another coat over it. Let dry completely (approx 60 minutes)
Take a black marker and draw Jack Skellington eyes on the pumpkin. They should be oval and slightly slanted.
Next, draw the nostrils. They’re also oval but a little more slanted and much smaller.
Finally, draw the mouth. You can make it a line that goes from side to side and curves up at each end. Then add a little more black in the middle to give the mouth definition. Finally add lines for the stitches.
Be sure the stitches extend beyond Jack's mouth. Once that's done, you're good to go.
Now put your pumpkin on display for everyone to enjoy!

Notes

I’ve found that usually when you go to buy the foam pumpkins, they are orange. However, I’ve occasionally seen white ones and those are best to start with if you can find them. It means few coats of paint are needed because you’re not covering any orange.
Be sure the paint on your pumpkin is completely dry before drawing on the face with a marker.

Did You Make This Project?

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Want more easy pumpkin painting ideas? Get all the tutorials here:

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About Lisa O’Driscoll

Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s run since 2014. She’s the author of the children’s cookbook Roll It, Slice It, Mash It, Dice It, designed to get kids excited about cooking. With multiple TV appearances under her belt, she loves sharing her expertise on family-friendly recipes, creative DIYs, and party planning and is always on a mission to inspire and entertain!

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