How to Draw a Light-Up Pumpkin Step by Step

I thought it would be fun to draw a little pumpkin that looks like it’s glowing in the dark, while still keeping everything nice and simple.

For this one, I used a bright orange pumpkin, warm yellow details, and a deep purple background to create that cozy glowing effect.

You can use crayons, colored pencils, markers, or whatever you already have nearby.

Step 1: Draw the pumpkin

Start with a simple pumpkin shape and a little stem at the top.

Then add a few stars and dots around the pumpkin. I kept everything loose and simple.

Light yellow outline of a pumpkin surrounded by stars and dots

Tip: Use a light yellow or cream color for these lines to give them a soft glowing effect.

Step 2: Add the pumpkin face

Now draw a simple jack-o-lantern face.

I went with triangle eyes and a big smiling mouth, but you can make yours silly, spooky, or completely different.

Simple jack-o-lantern face added to a pumpkin outline

Step 3: Color the pumpkin

Fill the pumpkin with orange.

Try not to cover the light yellow outline around the pumpkin.

Orange jack-o-lantern with light yellow outline and stars

Once you add the dark background later, this lighter edge will help create the glowing effect.

Step 4: Add the glowing details

Fill the eyes and mouth with yellow, and color in the stars and little dots around the pumpkin.

Add a dark color to the stem.

Orange pumpkin with glowing yellow face, stars, and dots

At this point you can already start to see the glowing effect coming together.

Step 5: Add the night sky

Draw a loose shape around the pumpkin to create the background area.

I also added a few little moons, stars, dots, and sparkles around the outside.

Pumpkin drawing surrounded by a loose border, stars, moons, and sparkles

Step 6: Finish the Glowing Pumpkin

Fill the inside of the background with a dark shade. Add a few darker details around the pumpkin’s eyes and mouth too—this contrast helps make the yellow areas look brighter and enhances the glowing effect.

I used purple, but dark blue or black would work nicely too.

Finished glowing orange jack-o-lantern on a purple night background

And that’s it!

I really like how the warm yellow and orange look against the deep purple background. It gives the little pumpkin a glowing nighttime feeling without needing anything complicated.

Your lines don’t have to be perfectly smooth either. I think the loose shapes and little bits of texture make it feel even cozier.

Try Your Own Light-Up Pumpkin

Once you know the basic idea, you can easily make your own version.

Try a different pumpkin shape, change the face, add a moon or more stars, or experiment with dark blue, black, or green for the night sky.

Want more cute fall drawing ideas?

If you liked drawing this light-up pumpkin, I have more pumpkin doodles and cozy fall ideas for you to try next. Take a look at my 22 Cute Pumpkin Drawing Ideas That Are Easy to Draw for more playful pumpkin inspiration, or browse my 12 Cozy & Easy Fall Drawing Ideas for more simple seasonal drawings.