Terracotta pumpkins are one of those looks that is ageless and so lovely for the fall season! They have the unique look of a soft orange peach-tone of clay with a white hazy wash over the top. Terracotta is actually a porous clay, and they can be pricey to buy at places like Pottery Barn and other decor stores. Did you know this easy DIY project can turn any faux pumpkin into a faux painted aged terracotta pumpkins with a few steps and a little paint! With this technique you can paint either a pinky-toned terracotta pumpkin, or a black concrete version with a gray-looking wash with this tutorial. Both are beautiful options! I bought a large and medium pumpkin from the craft store, but you can paint smaller versions from the dollar general store.
Gather your supplies for you faux painted terracotta pumpkins you’ll need:
Faux foam pumpkins in different sizes, I picked larger pumpkins and smaller pumpkins
Acrylic craft paint color in Heritage Brick and Jet Black
Snow White multi-surface paint
Paper towels
A wet cloth
A matte sealer
Drop cloth to cover your work area
A paint palette or plastic plate
Paint A Base Coat On The Pumpkins
With a paint brush, paint the pumpkin with either the Heritage Brick paint or the Jet Black craft paint and let dry. After the first coat completely dries, apply a second coat of paint. This will most likely take 2-4 coats to completely cover the pumpkin, make sure to cover the stem if it doesn’t come off! Let dry between paint coats. I didn’t want them to have texture, I wanted them smooth but you can add baking soda to your paint to add a more rough, clay-like rustic texture. See this post about making concrete-like terra cotta pumpkins here.
Prepare Your White Paint
Squirt some white paint out onto the plate or palette. Dip paper towel into the paint and rub it onto the pumpkin in an up and down pattern, following the ribs on the pumpkin, making sure to get it inside of all of the crevices.
Once all of the white paint is on the pumpkin, use the wet rag to remove some of the white paint so it gives it a dusty looking coat of paint. use the same technique on either the terracotta painted pumpkin or black painted pumpkin.
Seal the Faux Painted Aged Terracotta Pumpkins DIY
Use a matte sealer to seal the paint and prevent it from chipping. The matte sealer will help keep that dull, chalky finish on the pumpkin so it’s not too shiny.
Decorate With Your Faux Terra Cotta Pumpkins!
Let your creativity flow! These are so fun to use as a table top display or for other Fall decorating! These are so friendly to your seasonal decor budget! Paint the pumpkins in various sizes and cluster them together for impact or paint a bunch of small pumpkins to line up on your mantel. I decided to make a fun outdoor display in two versions by gathering some Goldenrod from around my yard and some pretty colored candles in brass candlesticks. If you have the kind of pumpkins where the stems are removable you can a glue a natural pumpkin stem for even more texture and interest.
Looking for your next DIY? See this step-by-step tutorial on how to make faux pumpkins look more realistic.
