How to Make a Jack-o-Lantern Template

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a long-standing Halloween tradition that has evolved into an art form in itself. Pumpkin carving templates can be found all over in October, but why not express yourself? Creating your own original templates will set your pumpkins apart from the mass-produced ones in your neighborhood.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Black fine point marker
• White typing or copier paper
• Ruler
• Shape templates for ovals or circles (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure your pumpkin’s height. Your template should be about 2/3 to 3/4 the height of your pumpkin so that it fits well and doesn’t wrap around the curve. For instance, if your pumpkin is 12 inches tall, your template should be no more than 8 or 9 inches.

2. Take the measurement you calculated and cut a sheet of white paper into a square of that size. If you’ve calculated that 3/4 of your pumpkin size is 9 inches, you’ll have a 9-inch square sheet of paper. Hold it up to your pumpkin to make sure the image will fit. Trim if necessary.

3. Sketch lightly a picture of the image you would like to depict on your jack-o-lantern, on your paper square. Don’t worry about how the jack-o-lantern will turn out at this point– just let your creativity flow. If you like, use rulers, a circle or oval template, or a compass to make the shapes.

4. Look at your sketch very carefully for enclosed areas. Some small enclosed areas will work well, such as windows on a haunted house. However, if an enclosed area has anything inside of it, that thing will be detached from the pumpkin when you carve. For example, if you have sketched a witch silhouette flying past a full moon, and the moon is an enclosed circle around the witch, the witch will be cut away.

5. Color in all the portions with a pencil that will be cut out of the pumpkin. Imagine how it would look if you cut those gray portions out of the picture on the paper. Imagine what would remain. If you’re not sure, make a photocopy of your image and actually cut out the gray parts. If you don’t like it, change it on the original. Keep doing this until you are satisfied with the look.

6. Use a fine point black marker to go over the main lines of your picture. The lines should be clear and simple, like found in a coloring book. These are the lines that you will use to transfer your pattern. Scan or photocopy your template to preserve the original.