The first pumpkins of 2009

I'm very excited to have made an early start on painting some pumpkins this year! I found an ad on Craigslist for free pumpkins from somebody's garden, can you believe the luck? I'm starting with 6 big, beautiful gourds.

This is my first painting for 2009:

I think this glamourous witch looks like she may be headed off to yoga class! What, witches can't be groovy? I like the suitably aloof look on the black cat's face.

Pumpkin #2:

This little grim reaper reminds me of Kenny from South Park. I found him on istock.com and I thought he was so cute I had to bring him to life! The bat with the heart on the tummy is from the henna design book from the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire. It was a very popular design this year. Have I mentioned that I'm a henna artist too? Yup, 15 years doing henna professionally. You can see some of my henna (and face painting) work on my website http://www.oasisarts.net/ Please check it out! Southern California folks can visit me every spring in the henna booth at The Renaissance Pleasure Faire in lovely Irwindale, Ca. Visit the faire's website for dates: http://www.renfair.com/socal/ or contact me through this blog to hire me for private or public events.

#3:

This one is my favorite so far! I think a silhouette can be such a striking design, don't you? This is obviously a good witch, as she is blowing softly through pursed lips to create magical butterflies that take wing. I love how the colors behind her radiate outward to blend into the natural color of the pumpkin. The little jack o' lanterns around her add just the right Halloween touch.

#4:

If somebody had asked my if I could paint a gothic dolly for them, I'm not sure I would have said yes, but that's how this little girl came out. From her "Wednesday Adams" pale face to her striped socks, she's cute and creepy. I like how the jack o' lantern moon face behind her came out. I did something a little different on this one and used holographic stickers for the stars instead of just painting them on. I think it gives a good effect so I may do this again on other pumpkins.

2 more pumpkins to paint from my free batch, and I just saw fresh pumpkins in Albertsons market this morning!! Yea, supplies! I'm stoked!