Come Halloween, most of us bust out our art skills (no matter how novice) and try to create our own pumpkin masterpiece. If you're still in need of some inspiration, take a look at our best pumpkin carving ideas.
How to carving a halloween pumpkin:
- 1. Start with the right pumpkin. Choose one that's fresh, with a sturdy stem, no bruises, and a flat bottom so it won't roll while you carving it.
- 2. Cut from the bottom, not the top. Cutting your "lid" from the bottom of the pumpkin helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
- 3. If you do carve from the top, cut out the lid on an angle. This way it won't drop inside the pumpkin when you replace it, like it would with a straight up-and-down cut. A boning knife should work well for this.
- 4. Scoop out all the pulp (and then some). You can use our ENVEL pumpkin carving kit to thin the inner wall of the "face" area to 1¼-inch thick, so it will be easier to pierce the shell.
- 5. Sketch out your design on paper first. If you draw your jack-o'-lantern face to size, you can use it as a pattern: Just tape it to the front of your pumpkin and use a fork or pencil to poke holes along the lines you want to carve. (Or save yourself from creative blocks by getting a pumpkin carving kit, complete with a marker, scraper, cutting tools, and pre-made patterns.)
- 6. Try holding the pumpkin in your lap. It's easier to create features when the face is gazing up at you. Using a serrated knife for carving, but to make intricate designs, you could try using a small saw. Just don't cut on a slant — clean up-and-down slices look best.
- 7. Start by making simple rough cuts. Get the big pieces of pumpkin out of the way first, then go back and clean up the edges of your design later.
- 8. Use your scraps creatively. Make a tongue, pipe, or hair accessories out of a discarded piece of pumpkin shell.
- 9. Keep your pumpkin fresh. Spreading petroleum jelly on the cut edges to seal in moisture. If your pumpkin still shrivels a few days later, you can revive it with a facedown soak in cold water for up to eight hours.
- 10. Create a chimney. First, leave the lid on for a few minutes while the candle burns. Then make a small hole where the lid has blackened. Or, save yourself the stress and go with battery-operated votives instead.
- 11. Sprinkle cinnamon inside the lid. That way, when you light the candle, your jack-o'-lantern will smell like a pumpkin pie.
