Wood Carving Illustrated - How-To Magazine for Carvers

From the pages of Wood Carving Illustrated - Extreme Pumpkin Carving

Extreme Pumpkin Carving

Editor’s Note: Carving pumpkins is a tradition for many people celebrating Halloween. In their new book, Extreme Pumpkin Carving, Vic Hood and Jack A. Williams show and tell how to use readily available knives as well as woodcarving tools to relief-carve frightful, fabulous pumpkins. Following the steps in this book will enable you to add form to your pumpkin carving by creating actual cheeks, lips, eyebrows and more, instead of just cutting out solid shapes.

The book’s pattern section showcases the works of carvers of award-winning pumpkins. The pumpkins were carved during The Great Pumpkin Carving Competition (2002 and 2003) at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 96-page book also contains more than 20 patterns.

Here are ten hot tips, adapted from the book, for people using woodcarving tools to relief-carve a pumpkin.

For most pumpkin carvings, select a tall, elongated pumpkin because it is easier to develop the pitch of the face in the horizontal plane. The extra height of a taller pumpkin allows carving of a larger nose and creation of darker shadows and stronger features. This will result in a more interesting carving.
Develop the structure for the nose by pushing back the rest of the face and recessing the eye sockets. Using a no. 5 25mm gouge, clear away the flat area. Change to a no. 11 12mm to cut the grooves under and beside the nose and to recess the eye socket.
Using the no. 6 12mm gouge, develop the round end of the nose by starting at the tip and rolling the gouge under the nose. With the same tool, put curvature in the base of the nostril and form the side and top of the nostril. This tool has enough curvature to form the nostril in one cut. Pay attention to the angle of the cut: Don’t make it perpendicular to the face.
Narrowing the area above the eye gives movement to the face and at the same time, creates a shadow that will help to define the face. Using a no. 7 25mm gouge, make this cut because the curvature of this tool provides just enough movement without overdoing it. Cutting the pupils through the meat of the pumpkin provides the maximum amount of shadow value. Shift them to one side for movement.

Cutting the pupils through the meat of the pumpkin provides the maximum amount of shadow value. Shift them to one side for movement.
Using a no.11 3mm gouge, cut the center groove between the mouth and nose.
With a knife, cut in the teeth. Using a no. 3 7mm gouge, recess the lower row of teeth. This cut will provide a good shadow line that will make both sets of teeth show up better. Then, using a knife, sharpen the separation of the teeth and lips.
To clean up the edge of the carving around the face and to bring the features forward, make an angular cut around the face.
To clean up the carving, use a toothbrush to get into all of the crevices.
Using a polyacrylic finish, seal the pumpkin to prolong the life of the carving.