CARVING TIPS
• Draw your design on the pumpkin with a water-based marker beforehand. Mistakes are erased easily with a damp sponge. • Cut the top and any large areas with a sharp, straight-edged knife. A dull blade is not a safer alternative.• Serrated metal saws, now widely available in carving kits, are a safer alternative to knives and allow younger children to get in on the action.
• Carve away from yourself; kids should carve only under adult supervision.
• Never hold the knife in a stabbing position.
• When carving, keep a portion of the knife blade in the pumpkin and use slow, steady saw strokes.
• Cut the lid at an angle so the outside diameter is larger than the inside.This prevents the top from falling into the pumpkin when it shrinks.
• Scoop out seeds and stringy flesh with a large spoon or ice cream scooper.
• Carve the facial features closest to the center first and work outward. Cut out the larger features in sections.
• Use an X-Acto knife for details and the tip of a potato peeler to make small circles and curves.
• Remove carved portions by gently pushing them into or out of the pumpkin.
• Reattach a section that is accidentally removed by using a toothpick to pin it back in place.
• Make design holes large enough to provide adequate ventilation for the candle.
• Flatten a spot in the base of the pumpkin for the candle but avoid digging too deep because the pumpkin becomes prone to rot.
• Make sure the flame is not too close to the top of the pumpkin.
• To prolong the life of the jack-o'-lantern, seal in moisture by coating all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil, or cover it with a damp towel when not on display.
^In addition to that, I've found that coating it with Vasoline, and putting it in the fridge works wonderfully
It's easy to etch too!
Using a X-acto knife, remove the skin along perimeter of your design. Using a larger knife peel or pare away the remaining skin. The light will glow brighter through the skin with the more you etch away.
Now time for stencils!
Print out two copies of the stencils.
Tape one to the pumpkin and use a tooth pick to mark the lines. You can remove the paper and connect the dots using the second stencil as a guide
For this one, cut only the black lines out and make sure they don't connect completely unless you want to have a Barnaby shaped silhouette instead of a face. |
That's all for now, I'll update again whenever I'm around the internet.
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