Pumpkin Carving Instructions

What you will need:

1. A pumpkin carving pattern downloaded from the Pumpkin Wizard... (2 copies recommended).
   
2. A pumpkin that has a front surface at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches, the flatter the better...
   
3. A precision pumpkin carving saw. Saws can be purchased in the EZ-Carve tool set HERE!
   
   
4. A pumpkin scraper or a tablespoon.
   
5. Tape for attaching the pattern to the pumpkin.
   
6. A pen or awl (poker) to trace the pattern onto the pumpkin.
   
   
7. Tools for removing pumpkin skin and flesh. These may include the EZ-Carve "U" and "V" tools available HERE!
   
   
8. Speedball linoleum block print cutters. This is a set of small interchangable blades with a handle to hold them. These tools are available as part of the Deluxe Carving Set found HERE!

• Clay sculpting tools. These tools are small, fairly sharp blades, bent into a few shapes which can be used to peel away larger areas of the skin and flesh of the pumpkin more easily.
• Wood carving tools, including chisels.
• Knives, screwdrivers, kitchen gadgets, or anything else you find that will peel away the outer layers of the pumpkin without going through.

Doing the 'O lantern with shading is really no big deal. To get started, you need to cut either the top or bottom out of the pumpkin. (I recommend the bottom...) This is necessary so that the "guts" can be removed. Remove all the seeds and loose pulp and use the scraper or spoon to clean the inside surfaces of the pumpkin.

Scrape the inside area of the pumpkin where the pattern will be carved to make the shell about 1 inch thick. Try to keep this uniform, so that the effect will work properly.

Dry the pumpkin skin with a towel, and proceed to tape the paper pattern onto the pumpkin. Tape top and bottom first, sides next. Then it usually is necessary to crease the pattern a little to tape the corners. Be sure to put your creases in a place where the pattern will be distorted the least.

Next, trace the pattern on the pumpkin using either the poker or a pen. Use the poker and poke holes around all the lines about 1/8 inch apart. Or you can press really hard with the pen to trace the lines. You may also try carbon paper under the pattern when tracing with a pen, but this can get a little messy.

Be sure to trace around all the lines of both the black areas (holes), and the grey areas (peels). Remove the pattern, and re-trace the lines using a pen, or even better, Sharpie markers. I use a black marker around the "holes" and a red marker around the "peel" sections. Refer to your second pattern if you get confused.

Cut out all the "holes" first, smallest to largest, using the precision saw. Leave the cut out parts in the holes until all the holes have been cut out. This aids in stability during the sawing. Carefully remove all the cut out pieces from the holes.

Use the EZ-Carve blades, linoleum cutters, or other peeling tools in the grey "peel" areas, removing the skin an about 1/2 inch of the flesh. Remove all the skin from the grey areas in this way. Finish peeling the flesh to a uniform 1/2 inch deep in all the grey areas. You can also use the clay tools at this time to clean up the peeled areas.

Finish carving the finishing touches on the pumpkin in the dark with a candle or light inside. This helps you see the final effect while touching up areas that were not done cleanly during the previous steps.

Well, that's about it. Good luck and Happy Carving!