Confessions of a Colorist: From Pumpkin Dread to Delight

Okay, confession time! You know how much I love the changing seasons, but for the longest time, I had a little secret fear. How on earth do you make a big, orange circle look like... well, a pumpkin?! I would try, and no matter how hard I tried, my creations always looked flat, like a coloring-book doodle that had gone horribly wrong. My artistic confidence would crumble faster than a gingerbread cookie!

But one day, after a few "happy accidents" (what I call my best mistakes!), I had a total breakthrough. I realized the secret wasn't a special pumpkin-coloring talent; it was all about playing with light.

My first realization was that the best pumpkins start with a soft, glowy base. Instead of jumping right in with a bold orange, I now start with a light hand and a pale yellow or a soft peach. It's like giving my pumpkin a sunny foundation. This isn’t the final color—it’s the happy light that's going to shine through all the other layers.

Then came the next creative breakthrough: I needed to add some grooves. I discovered that by grabbing a slightly darker orange, a reddish-orange, or even a light brown, I could add those natural lines and shadows. By layering this darker color in the creases, I started to see the pumpkin pop right off the page!

The final piece of the puzzle was the highlight. To make my pumpkins look perfectly round and shiny, I started using a pale yellow or a white pencil to add a little sparkle to the most prominent parts of the pumpkin. Sometimes I even go in with a white gel pen to add a tiny, bright dot of light that makes the pumpkin look like it’s glowing from the inside out.

And that was it! I realized that my coloring didn’t have to be perfect. Sometimes the most beautiful pages are the ones that came from a little trial and error. The joy is in making the art your own, whether it’s a classic orange pumpkin or a crazy purple one!

I hope this gives you the confidence to pick up a pencil and make your pumpkins glow! If you're ready to get started, you can find a whole new world of designs in my books, available for both digital and softcover download right here on my website!

Happy coloring, everyone! 🎨

What's a fall icon (besides a pumpkin!) that you love to color? Let me know in the comments below!