Jack o Lantern Faces Step by Step Drawing Tutorial
Today we are going to make a really fun and easy jack o lantern face. I’m drawing mine on a patterned background that I made, but you can use any type of paper.
This is the type of drawing that’s perfect for making several different drawings so you can experiment and try different things.
Let’s grab our supplies and get started learning how to draw jack o lantern faces.
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Art Supplies
- Thin black marker
- Paper or cardstock
- Markers
- Pencil
- Click Eraser, Pink Pearl Eraser
- White Gelly Roll pen
The History of Jack o Lanterns
The tradition of the jack-o’-lantern goes back hundreds of years, long before pumpkins were part of the picture! It started in Ireland, where people carved faces into turnips and potatoes to ward off wandering spirits.
The name “jack-o’-lantern” comes from an old Irish legend about a man named Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil and was doomed to wander the Earth with only a carved-out turnip and a glowing coal to light his way.
When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered that pumpkins—native to North America—were much easier to carve. Over time, this spooky folk tradition became a fun Halloween activity.
Today, jack-o’-lanterns are a symbol of creativity and festive spirit, ranging from simple smiling faces to intricate works of art.
Jack o Lantern Faces Sketch Practice
I love doing some quick warm up sketches before moving onto my actual drawing. It’s a great way to work through some ideas along with getting your muscles ready to draw. Here’s how to do it.
- Get some paper and something to sketch with (pencil, pen, marker, etc.)
- Pull up some reference photos of Jack o Lantern Faces
- Set a timer for three or five minutes
Then simply sketch as many different jack o lantern faces as you can before the timer goes off.
Another way to do this is by stopping when your paper is full and you’re out of room to sketch. Either way is fine. Just keep your lines quick and loose. And don’t spend too much time on this exercise. It’s not meant to take a lot of time.
How to Draw Jack o Lantern Faces
I’m drawing my jack o lantern face on an artist trading card that I cut out of a marbled background. But you can use any type of paper for this drawing.
Learn to make marbled backgrounds here.
Step 1: Sketch Your Jack o Lantern Face
I want my face to fill up the paper so I’ll keep that in mind as I’m making my sketch. I’m keeping the eyes and nose pretty simple by using triangle shapes.
Start by drawing a triangle in the center of the paper for the nose. Then add two triangles on either side of that for the eyes.
The mouth is a bit more complex. I added some teeth and gave him a pointed smile.
There are a ton of different ways you can draw your jack o lantern face. Making them on artist trading cards is a great way to work through your drawings quickly so you can try different things.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your ideas. The best way to improve at anything is by getting out of your comfort zone.
Step 2: Add Some Ink
After your face is drawn out, use a black outlining pen to go over your pencil lines. Then fill everything in with the same black pen or a black marker.
You could also use a color other than black for your outlines. Maybe try using red or orange.
Another option for the inside of the shapes is to use yellow, orange, or white so it looks like there is a candle inside the pumpkin.
Step 3: Final Touches
Finish up by adding some lines for the ribs on the pumpkin and any additional details you’d like to add to your jack o lantern face drawing.
A white Gelly Roll pen can be used to add highlights.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
That’s it for this easy jack o lantern faces tutorial. I hope you enjoyed the lesson and feel inspired to make some of your own artwork.
Doing a series of drawings is a great way to improve your drawing skills, as well as your creativity. By drawing the same thing multiple times, and in different ways, you’ll really start to see your art skills improve.
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that picture is so fire girl u did that
Thanks. Glad you liked it.