How to Carve a Scary Pumpkin Face

Fall weather is the season for pumpkins! Time to get out those carving tools for the Jack O’ Lantern to grace your doorstep, patio or your table! Do you want to do something different from the traditional pumpkin face but are not “skilled” enough to create those artsy masterpieces that experts carve? A simple but unique carving is possible! Carve the face into the top of the pumpkin, using the stalk for a nose, instead of carving it into the side. Give your pumpkin some character!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pumpkin with stalk intact
• Sharp Knife or carving tools
• Tablespoon or scraper
• Red Bell Pepper
• Round head bobby pins, toothpick(s)
• White card stock
• Black permanent marker

1. 
    
   green stalk pumpkins

   Choose a well rounded pumpkin that has a green stalk, about 2-3” long, intact and well formed. Sit the pumpkin on the table so that the stalk is directly facing you. Place your hand on top and spin the pumpkin round to the reverse and draw a circle about “5-6” in diameter (use a saucer to trace the circle for the right size).

2. Using a sharp knife, carefully poke six holes in spots around the circle deep enough to reach the soft pulpy section then carve between the holes to cut out the circle. You will need to keep this circle to fit back into the pumpkin later so cut carefully.

3. With a spoon and a scraper, remove the seeds and excess stringy parts and pulp of the pumpkin and discard. Wash out the center with water if desired. Use paper towels to soak up excess moisture.

4. With the nose/stalk facing you, draw two large eyes with pupils starting from the nose edge moving up at an angle. With a carving tool, carefully carve out the top skin of the pumpkin leaving the yellow pulp. Carve out two eyebrows the same way and at an angle that suits your mood (carve full rounded arches for a happy mood, shallow arches that start near the nose and move up for a scary or angry mood).

5. Draw a smiling or snarling mouth using a marker then carve the orange skin off first. Then draw lines where the top and bottom teeth will be. Carve out the mouth between the two rows of teeth cutting to the hollow. And remove excess stringy or pulpy parts if necessary. With the knife, carve shallow grooves into the lines of teeth to give them a toothy look!

6. Cut a red pepper in half lengthwise, removing the seeds and the bulb section. Cut one half into the shape of a long tongue, using one of the grooves of the pepper for the center groove of the tongue. Place the tongue into the side of the mouth and secure with a toothpick. Press toothpick down into the flesh so that the toothpick is barely visible on the tongue.

7. 
    
   give your pumpkin some character!

   Using cardstock, cut two round pupils and fit them into the eye sections and secure each with a black topped bobby pin. Carefully fit the carved out circle back into the hole on the reverse; use toothpicks placed at an angle to secure the circle to the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, you can use the other half of the bell pepper to cut out round pupils and secure with a bobby pin to give “evil” eyes.
• Color the nose tip with black marker if desired.
• If you accidentally break off teeth as you are carving, secure teeth with a toothpick or accept the toothy grin and give it more character!
• Allow children to secure pieces with toothpicks and bobby pins but leave the carving to an adult.

[PegH]

on 10/9/2009 well written, great article!!!

[samsons]

on 10/8/2009 Excellent article keep it up 5 stars.Your article is live in our ehowblog.com where more then 55 readers read everyday our blog.Keep it up and congrats

[thimbletack]

on 9/18/2009 awesome pumpkin, 5 stars

[ladym33]

on 9/18/2009 I love tha pumpkin in the picture.

[makaksa]

on 9/16/2009 Fun idea!