How to Make Ghost Pumpkins

Instead of carving a face into your pumpkin, you might want to try and create a ghost-like figure instead. The end result will be a head-to-feet, full figure image of a ghost, goblin, monster or any other appropiate image that your creative mind can come up with. With a lit candle placed behind the "ghost", strange new shadows will be cast into the night.

Things You'll Need

• a pumkin, sharp thin knife, awl, paper, scissors and felt-tip pen

Instructions

How To Make A Ghost Pumpkin

1. Everybody knows how to carve a face in a pumpkin; it’s something we have been doing since grade school. For a slightly bigger challenge one might try out their artistic hand and try sculpturing a figure of a ghost or goblin, where the eyes, nose and mouth of the good ole jack o’lantern use to be. The first step is the same, you just pretend that you are a brain surgeon and with a sharp knife cut a piece around the stem and then remove the top from the pumpkin.

2. Next remove the mass of pulp and seeds from inside the orange vegetable (technically speaking, pumpkins are a fruit because they develop from a flower and contain seeds) and now it is time to begin the design.But first a short word about pumpkins. Did you know that the plant was first cultivated in Mexico over a thousand years ago as a source of food? The first plants were valued more for their seeds than the tasty pulp from which we now make pumpkin pie. Today, many varieties of pumpkins are grown, including the large ornamental type that is used to carve Halloween images.

3. As of recently the idea of carving the image of a supernatural being (that’s a ghost) is just starting to catch on in ever so slight a way. So, once the figure is complete and a lighted candle is placed inside the pumpkin, a figure will appear and then there will be a shadow cast in front of the pumpkin. Instead of the usual sinister, smiling face of the old Mr. Jack O’ Lantern, one will now be looking at the image of a supernatural being.Some great examples of ghost designs for pumpkins are available online, but for this project we are going to create our own picture on a piece of paper and work from that. To do this all that is needed is some blank paper, a pair of scissors, a pencil and an eraser. The best way to start is to draw a complete circle anywhere from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. Now make a pair of marks at the very top of the circle and also a pair at the very bottom. Inside this circle you will create a silhouette that hopefully resembles a ghost. The top two marks should be about an inch apart and the bottom set would be located two inches apart. Both sets of marks should be centered at the apex or bottom of the curve. This will leave you with a pair of dots on the top and the bottom.

4. Next you connect the top and bottom marks with a pair of long sweeping curves. You will need and try to create a ghost of a figure with these two lines. That means you must form a head that will take up the top quarter or third of the figure and also a long flowing body that occupies the rest of the space.

5. The first try may not look quite right, so draw several circles and make a succession of drawings. When you get a picture that you like, then add some eyes and a mouth and maybe some vertical slits to the torso. Finally, you might want to redraw the sides of the circle so that they are closer to the ghost figure and the overall shape looks like an ellipse. Don’t worry if your little ghost somewhat resembles an alien being, this only adds to the mystery. More advanced artists may want to try their hand at a more developed figure with arms and legs. If that is the case consult the Internet for ghost pumpkin pictures and try working from such an image.

6. Now the time has come to transfer the drawing to the surface of the pumpkin. A fine-point, felt-tip pen will come in handy for this next step. You can redraw the image freehand onto the pumpkin or you can make a template by cutting out the space between the figure and the sides of the circle or ellipse. Next trace the shape of the ghost onto the pumpkin using the felt tip pen. Now, all that is left to do is the carving of the figure. Besides a narrow knife, an awl might come in handy to outline some of the more intricate cuts. Also a keyhole saw or just the blade from a coping saw can be used to perform the intricate task of cutting the pumpkin instead of a knife, but I prefer a knife.

7. Now, carefully cut the shape from the design that you have drawn. The sharp knife should accomplish the task, but you can try the saw blade if the design is very intricate. You may need to put some backpressure on the inside of the pumpkin while the cut is taking place. Take your time and the result should be more than satisfactory. If you are working from a purchased template, the process should be just about the same.

8. Finally, light a candle, drip some wax in the bottom of the pumpkin and place the lighted candle in the small pool of liquid wax. Hope you enjoy the eerie presence of the newly made ghost and Happy Halloween.

Tips & Warnings

• There are lots of images in the press and on the internet that would lend themselves well to the creation of a ghost pumpkin. Take some time and pick one out. Then see if you can adapt it to making a ghost pumpkin.

• Be careful when cutting into the pumpkin. Try bracing the cutting area from inside the pumpkin.