Planning on using oil paints? Consider wood as your canvas. It’s sturdy and won’t get soggy or warp like paper might with oils. Plus, it can add a nice, rustic touch to your cute Halloween paintings. Picture a grinning jack-o’-lantern on a piece of reclaimed wood – the texture of the wood can add a unique, weathered look to your painting.
Halloween Painting Ideas: Tips for Beginners
Halloween is around the corner, and what better way to get into the festive spirit than by creating your own cute Halloween paintings? This guide is designed to help beginners turn their Halloween inspirations into adorable works of art. So, let’s grab those paintbrushes and let the spooky creativity flow.
Choose Your Paints
Choosing the right paints is the first step towards creating your cute Halloween paintings. The type of paint you select can significantly impact the final look of your painting, so it’s important to make an informed decision based on your desired outcome. Let’s break down the three most common types of paints and their characteristics.
Acrylics for Beginners
Acrylics are a great starting point for beginners due to their easy-to-handle nature. They dry quickly, allowing you to add layers without waiting for long periods, and they’re easy to clean up with just soap and water. Plus, acrylic paints are versatile—they work well on most surfaces, from canvas to wood. For a cute Halloween painting, you might consider painting a friendly ghost or a grinning pumpkin with acrylics—they’ll come out bright and bold, just like the holiday spirit!
Oil Paints for Durability
If you’re seeking a painting that lasts and has a rich, glossy finish, oil paints are your go-to. These paints take longer to dry, which allows for more flexibility in blending colors and creating smooth gradients. Imagine a spooky moonlit night backdrop for your cute Halloween paintings—oil paints can make it happen. However, keep in mind that oil paints require a bit more care; they need to be cleaned with a special solvent.
Watercolors for Soft Looks
For those aspiring to create cute Halloween paintings with a softer, dreamy vibe, watercolors might be the perfect choice. They allow for light, transparent layers that can create a lovely, ethereal effect. Picture a whimsical watercolor painting of witches flying against a pastel-colored Halloween sunset—beautiful, right? But remember, watercolor techniques can be a bit tricky to master and require patience; the key is to let each layer dry completely before applying the next.
Select Your Brushes
After choosing your paints, it’s time to pick the right brushes. The brushes you use can significantly influence the level of detail and texture in your cute Halloween paintings. Different brushes serve different purposes, so let’s look at three types you should consider.
Round Brushes for Line Work
Round brushes are your best friends when it comes to line work. With their pointed tip and round body, they’re perfect for sketching, outlining, and detailed work. Trying to paint a tiny black cat sitting on a broomstick? A round brush will help you outline the cat with precision.
Flat Brushes for Filling
Flat brushes have a squared-off end, making them ideal for filling large areas with paint quickly. If you’re painting a big orange pumpkin in the center of your cute Halloween painting, a flat brush will make the job a lot easier. Plus, they’re great for creating sharp edges—think of the clean lines of a haunted house against a night sky.
Fan Brushes for Texture
If you want to add texture to your painting, fan brushes are your go-to. Their bristles are spread out like a fan, hence the name. They’re perfect for creating effects like fur on a werewolf or the leafy texture on a Halloween pumpkin. Remember, in painting, sometimes it’s the little details that make a big difference!
Halloween Face Paint Ideas for Kids & Teens
- Cat Face
- Skeleton
- Witch
- Dog Face
- Scary face
- Monster face
- Zombie face
- Alien face
- Pirate
- Vampire
- Tiger face
- Pumpkin face
Out of all of the ideas listed above, the beginner level faces would be the skeleton, pirate, pumpkin, witch, zombie and monster faces would all be good to try! If you are a bit nervous to try any of the above ideas free hand, you could always get some face painting stencils too.
Here’s another one I did. It has a real zipper glued to my face.
Halloween Face Paint & Tools
One thing I’ve learned is that Halloween face painting is all about the makeup and the tools! Seriously! Spend a bit more money on the paint and the brushes/sponges and it will look professional! It won’t peel or crack and it will last a very long time.
There’s some pretty reasonable “professional” face paints on the market and even you should try it! Heck, my 7 year old uses these paints to face paint her girlfriends! It’s absolutely darling to watch too!
The Halloween Face Paint make up that I am referring to is either Mehron Paradise Face Paint or Wolfe Brothers Face Paint. Here’s a sample of it on Amazon HERE. This paint is a professional paint that has the same look and feel as regular makeup! It doesn’t have that cake or heavy layered feel like the paints you see at the craft stores. It washes off nicely with soap and water too! (Baby wipes work really nicely too for makeup removal). These paints have a high pigment color that makes your face painting projects vibrant in color! By the way, this small palette of paints will last you more than a year!
(TIP: Please don’t purchase the cheap face paints at the local stores. You will not get good results)
The best Halloween Face Painting tutorial book that I refer to is written by The Wolfe Brothers, called Extreme Face Painting. It’s easy to follow with the demonstration they have laid out in this book! Definitely worth the purchase!
Next, lets talk tools. Brushes are important but not nearly as important as sponges in Halloween face painting. I mainly use a sponge to do my face painting but I do use a brush for the outline or detail! These artist sponges can be found at almost any craft store. Here’s a package I found on Amazon.
I always cut my sponges in half and use one sponge per color. These wash very nicely with soap and water or baby wipes!!
How to Face Paint a Scary Halloween Face
Be sure to check out my YouTube Step By Step Face Paint Instructions on How to Paint a Tiger (Project for beginners!)
I hope I have inspired a bit of creativity into your Halloween Face Painting!
