I’m back again – with a pumpkin doodle and color tutorial! I created these pumpkins for my October bullet journal setup but thought I would share how to draw them and how to color them. I thought it would be fun to show 5 different color tools you can use. So here we go!
Pumpkin Doodles
To doodle a pumpkin, you basically just need to know how to draw ovals. You draw three (or more) overlapping ovals in a row and outline the borders. Add some half circles to the background, as well as a stalk, and you’re done! It’s a cutesy style but it’s so quick and so easy!
Pumpkin Color Tutorial
Now for the fun part: adding color! I use:
Below I share my tips for using each medium.
PLEASE NOTE: Paper quality will play a part in how well each of these tools work. I use a 160 GSM Archer & Olive notepad. It handles watercolor very well and blends amazingly. Using a thinner rated paper, such as a Moleskin or a Leuchtturm, you may want to stick to pencils.
Crayola Super Tips
- Draw lines with your marker right next to each other, trying not to overlap. GO SLOW!
- To create shadows, using the same marker, add color to the areas you want to appear darker.
- Use a white Gelly Roll to add highlights.
- Use a fine pen to add details like cross hatching, to make your pumpkins look a bit rough around the edges.
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
- Use two different colors – one for your pumpkin color and one for shadowing.
- Start with the lighter color and fill the pumpkin.
- Using the darker color, add the shadows.
- Then, go back with the lighter color and blend the darker color to soften the shadow lines.
- As above, use a white gel pen for highlights and a fine black pen for details.
Color Pencils/Pencil Crayons
- Make sure to sharpen your pencils before you start coloring. This ensures you are able to control how much, and where, the color goes.
- I start by adding my shadows first and then lightly blending the color out.
- Make sure to use a light hand to color the rest of the pumpkin.
- Now, for a tip that changed my color-loving life! Use a colorless BLENDER PENCIL! Go in with the blender pencils and blend the color lines for a smoother-looking image.
- Please note: this makes the colored surface very smooth and sheen, meaning that any pen used on top will smudge if you’re not careful.
- Same as above, go in with a white gel pen and fine black pen for details.
Watercolor Pencils
- I use Derwent Inktense Watersoluble Ink Pencils.
- Start by using the same technique as color pencils. But don’t spend as much time blending the shadows out because the water will do that for you.
- Once done, grab a paint brush and paper towel. Wet your paint brush but make sure to dab it on the paper towel to reduce some of the water. Too much water will warp your page and ruin your notebook.
- Start in the shadow area and blend the color out with your wet brush.
- Wait for the color to dry before adding any extra details.
Watercolor Paint Pans
- Biggest tip for watercolor is to work FAST!
- As with watercolor pencils, you don’t want your brush to be too wet, You will just end up with a soggy page.
- When you start adding color, add the shadows first and blend the paint out.
- If you need to add more color to the body of the pumpkin, dab your brush in the paint, then the water and just gently touch it to the towel. That way you have a watered down color for the body. You can also using a surface, like a plate, and blend your watercolor into a less saturated color. This is probably a better method.
- Make sure it is VERY dry before adding highlights and details.
I hope you found this pumpkin doodle and color tutorial helpful. Let me know and I can start doing these more often. Also, please let me know if there are other doodles or color mediums you want to see. For example, I can show you a Procreate tutorial as well if that is something you want to see. As always, thank you so much for your time today!
Talk soon!
