Yayoi Kusama Dotted Pumpkins for Kids

I love the results of this dotted pumpkin project inspired by the dotted pumpkins of Yayoi Kusama.  I did this art lesson with 3rd/4th grade. (Amazon Affiliate links have been used, at no extra cost to you.)

A collage of colorful, dotted pumpkin drawings on assorted vibrant backgrounds with the text "Dotted Pumpkins Inspired by Yayoi Kusama," ideal for kids.

I based our project after the lesson taught on the blog Plastiquem.  First, I read the book Yayoi Kusama, From Here to Infinity, which is an inspirational book about her artwork and life.  This is on my list of top 10 favorite books about artists.  Well, I don’t actually have a list yet, but if I did, this would be on it.  (Note to self: future blog post.)  I wrote a review of this book in a previous blog post, which you can read here.

A collage of dotted pumpkins inspired by Yayoi Kusama, showcasing various colors and patterns on dark backgrounds, perfect for kids.

To make the pumpkin pictures, students looked at pumpkins while drawing them on construction paper.  The students outlined the pumpkins and their lines with black Sharpies.  Then the pumpkins were cut out.  The next step was to use tempera paint and Q-tips to make dots on the pumpkins.  When the dots were dry, the pumpkins were glued to a solid background paper.  Finally, patterns were added with metallic markers.

Colorful abstract painting of a pumpkin with vibrant patterns and a black background, reminiscent of Yayoi Kusama's dotted pumpkins.
A stylized yellow pumpkin with dots and lines on a colorful, patterned background, inspired by Yayoi Kusama.
Vibrant drawing of two dotted pumpkins with patterns; one orange and one yellow with stripes on a swirly background, inspired by Yayoi Kusama's unique style.
Colorful abstract pumpkin painting with dot patterns and a mosaic-style background, inspired by Yayoi Kusama's dotted pumpkins.

Here are some of Yayoi Kusama’s amazing pumpkins for reference:

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Have you ever taught about Yayoi Kusama?  Do you like her artwork?  Why or why not?

Here are some other FALL Art Projects you might be interested in:

Two cartoon ghost art projects for kids; one holding a Yayoi Kusama-inspired dotted pumpkin and jack-o’-lantern on a colorful background, the other ghost on a patterned background. Text reads "GHOST Art Project BUNDLE.
Illustrated patterned leaves and a printed instruction sheet for a "Patterned Leaf" easy substitute plan, perfect for pairing with a scarecrow art project. Text reads: "No-prep & creative!" on a blue border.
Two printable worksheets for kids: "November Art Choice Board" and "Illustrate one act of kindness," featuring autumn-themed designs, creative prompts, and a fun dotted pumpkins activity inspired by Yayoi Kusama.
A kids' fall art lesson featuring a colorful scarecrow drawing, displayed next to the book "The Scarecrow" by Beth Ferry and The Fan Brothers, is perfect for inspiring creative scarecrow art projects.

Discover more from Art is Basic | Elementary Art Projects

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36 Comments

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  1. I find the artwork to be very exciting. I am encouraged to learn more about the artist. Thank you for your information and ideas.

  2. I totally LOVE these!!! I would definitely research this artist and her artwork now. Thank you for your inspiration!

  15. I love Yayoi Kusama’s art and thanks to your website, I found her and taught this way of decorating pumpkins to my first graders. I am doing this again in 2nd grade this year.

    I bought this book:
    Yayoi Kusama Covered Everything in Dots and Wasn’t Sorry.
    by Fausto Gilberti

    Thank you!