1 kraft paper gift bag with handles, at least 25 x 20 cm
Acrylic paint in white, orange, black
Flat and round paintbrushes, sizes 6 and 2
Black paint marker or Posca pen, medium tip
White paint marker or Posca pen, medium tip
Pencil for sketching
Scrap paper for palette
Step by Step
Stuff the bag loosely with crumpled newspaper so the front panel is flat and firm to paint on. This prevents paint bleeding through to the back.
Lightly pencil in your design. A large ghost or pumpkin centred on the bag, with the child's name in block letters along the bottom, is the clearest layout. Keep shapes bold: fine detail is hard to read on kraft brown.
Paint the main shapes first using the size 6 brush. White for a ghost needs two coats because kraft is dark: let the first coat dry for twenty minutes before applying the second. Orange pumpkins usually cover in one coat.
Once the base colours are fully dry (allow at least forty minutes), use the size 2 brush and black paint to add facial features, outlines and details. A steady hand helps here; rest your wrist on the bag edge.
Let the black details dry for twenty minutes. Then use the black marker to strengthen any outlines that look thin, and the white marker to add highlights, dots or the child's name in white over black areas.
Remove the newspaper stuffing and leave the bag open to air for a final thirty minutes before filling with sweets or gifts.