To learn how to draw a pumpkin, start with a tall oval in the middle, add a rounded section on each side and two more on the outside. Then draw a short, thick stem, a leaf and a curly vine, and finish with a few curved lines.
This easy pumpkin drawing works for fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Turn it into a jack-o-lantern or keep it plain for a harvest picture. The free PDF has the step sheet, a tracing page, a practice grid and a coloring page.
What’s in the free PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large pumpkin in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished pumpkin in bold outlines
How to draw a pumpkin step by step
- Middle section. Draw a tall oval in the middle of the paper.
- Side sections. On each side, draw a rounded section that starts behind the middle oval and curves out. Leave out the part that would run behind the middle.
- Outer sections. Draw one more rounded section on each side, behind the first two, so the pumpkin gets wide and round.
- Stem. On top, draw a short, thick stem that gets a little narrower toward the top.
- Leaf and vine. Draw a pointed leaf to the right of the stem and a curly vine, like a spring, to the left.
- Details. Draw a vein down the middle of the leaf and a curved line inside the sections to show the ridges.
Want a jack-o-lantern? Skip the curved lines in step 6 and draw two triangle eyes, a triangle nose and a zigzag smile instead.
Easy pumpkin drawing: common mistakes and fixes
- The sections cross each other. Every new section starts behind the one in front of it; stop the line where it meets the earlier section.
- The pumpkin is too tall. Real pumpkins are wider than they are tall. Make the outer sections wide.
- The stem is a thin line. Make it short and thick, like a little tree stump.
- The vine looks like a scribble. Draw one loose spiral that gets bigger as it goes.
Trace, practice, then color
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you learn the shapes and their order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished pumpkin for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. Count how many squares wide and tall the reference is, then draw your pumpkin the same way. The grid keeps the parts the right size next to each other.
Color the finished drawing
Color the pumpkin orange with a darker orange on the ridge lines, the stem brown and the leaf and vine green. For a white or green pumpkin, use soft cream or sage green and grey ridge lines.
Pumpkin drawing tips for kids
- Draw three pumpkins of different sizes for a pumpkin patch.
- Add a jack-o-lantern face for Halloween or a pilgrim hat for Thanksgiving.
- Draw fall leaves around the pumpkin to fill the page.
- Trace the pumpkin on orange paper and cut it out for a window decoration.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size image, then print it or save it. The PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a pumpkin: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Pumpkin tracing page (PNG)
- a Pumpkin practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Pumpkin coloring page (PNG)
More fall drawing: Thanksgiving drawing ideas, how to draw a turkey and cute food drawings. For coloring, print our fall coloring pages and Thanksgiving coloring pages.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a pumpkin?
Draw a tall oval in the middle, then rounded sections on each side that tuck behind it. Add a thick stem on top, and you have a pumpkin.
How do you draw a pumpkin with lines?
The lines on a pumpkin follow its sections. Draw each section as a separate rounded shape, then add one curved line inside each section to show the ridges.
How do you draw a jack-o-lantern?
Draw the pumpkin from this guide, skip the ridge lines and add two triangle eyes, a triangle nose and a wide smile with a few square teeth.
Is this pumpkin drawing good for Thanksgiving?
Yes. A plain pumpkin with a leaf and a vine is a classic harvest drawing. Kids can add a turkey or fall leaves next to it.
