How to paint the perfect pumpkin for Halloween

Have yourselves a very woofy Christmas!

http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/have-yourselves-a-very-woofy-christmas-1-8217397

Carving can sometimes feel like a real chore, so Asda is putting on pumpkin painting classes to showcase the best and easiest ways to dress up your pumpkins this season.

New research out today reveals that for a fifth of Brits, pumpkins are the favourite thing about Halloween, with 63% spending anything from £10-£50 or more on decorations for the home.

Following the survey, Asda is trialling pumpkin painters in stores to tap into the new trend, which cuts down on mess and offers a safer alternative for children.

Asda expects to sell over 2.2m pumpkins, a 61% increase on 2015’s harvest as the retail occasion continues to increase in popularity each year.

The supermarket is selling pumpkins in three sizes; medium, large and extra large.

Karen, Asda’s pumpkin painting expert, has a few top tips on turning your pumpkin into a work of art with paint this Halloween:

You will need:

Newspaper to keep your area clean

Acrylic Paints, brushes, water and wipes

If you wish to seal it you can use Liquitex Gloss varnish (from Amazon)

Choose a good pumpkin for painting which has a smooth even surface, and even colour tone to suit your theme, avoid one with too many lumps and bumps!

Clean and dry your pumpkin using a damp paper towel or baby wipe.

Apply your sealer (optional) this will help the paint adhere better to the surface.

If you use a brush you intend to use for painting later, make sure you wash it as soon as you finish sealing your pumpkin.

Paint your pumpkin in sections allowing each to dry before moving to the next, that way you won’t be stuck holding a wet dripping pumpkin!

Don’t put your pumpkin down if the bottom is wet or it will stick to your newspaper. Let it dry before setting it down.

You can first draw out your design using a sharpie pen.

If you want to use a stencil, use tape to hold it in place.

You can use masking tape to mask straight lines.

Paint your pumpkin using acrylic paints. Light colours may need additional coats.

Make sure each layer is dry before going over it with another colour.

Add decorations or embellishments (optional) – Wait for your pumpkin to dry and then you can adorn it with gems, raffia, googly eyes, and rhinestones - whatever you like.

And you’re done!

If you place your pumpkin outside try and keep it out of direct sunlight or heat to make it last longer.

Kevin Curson, Asda’s pumpkin grower, said: “It’s clear pumpkins are still the feature piece for many of our customers Halloween parties and home decorations, but having to carve one can often seem like a time consuming and messy chore. The trend for painting pumpkins offers a much easier and hassle free way to decorate your pumpkin.

“Our pumpkin painters are full of hints and tips for creating your own, whether you want to stick to tradition with spooktacularly ghoulish designs or add some creative flare with your own original colourful designs.