Materials needed:

tracing paper 
pencil 
ruler 
graphite transfer paper 
stylus or dry ballpoiny pen 
clean dry cans in desired sizes 
hammer and nail or drill and fine drill bit 
orange spray paint 
acrylic paints-
Antique Mauve, Cadmium Yellow
Rookwood Red, Snow White,
Soft Black and Tangerine 
palette or paper plate 
paint brushes--#1 liner and #4 and 8 flat 
fine-line permanent marker(opt.) 
gloss spray finish 
14" of 16- or 19-gauge black annealed wire 
needle-nose pliers 


Punch holes with hammer and nail or drill holes (1-1/4" apart for small luminary, 1-1/2" apart for medium and 2" apart for large.)

Spray-paint all sides of can with orange. Let dry.

Trace pumpkin face patterns onto tracing paper. Use transfer paper under pattern of choice to transfer pattern onto side of can with stylus or dry ballpoint pen.

With transferred face in front, add holes on opposite sides of can for handle, 1/4"from upper edge.

PAINTING FACES:

Place small amounts of each color acrylic paint on palette or paper plate.

Basecoating: Allowing drying time between colors and coats, use brush to fit area being painted to paint facial features as follows, adding a second coat to cover if needed: Paint eyes and teeth Snow White. Paint noses in Tangerine, Cadmium Yellow and White. Paint pupils Soft Black. Paint tongue and cheeks Antique Mauve.

Shading or highlighting: Dip #8 flat brush in clean water. Remove excess water by touching brush to paper towel until shine disappears. Gently touch just one corner of brush into acrylic paint. Blend by wiping the brush back and forth on a clean area of your palette or plate until you get the color to gradually fade from paint colot on one side to clear on the opposite side. Paint along edges or line with the loaded side of brush against outer edge or line of piece.

Shade tongue and cheeks with Rookwood Red. Highlight tongue with Snow White.

Details: Use Soft Black to outline and add mouth and eyebrows or use black permanent marker.

Add Snow White comma strokes to cheeks and stars to eyes.

FINISHING:

When paint is thoroughly dry, apply two coats of gloss finish, allowing drying time between coats.

Add wire handle to can, bringing 1" of each end through holes from outside of can, then using needle-nose pliers to wrap wire back on itself above can.

Submitted by Nobie