Pumpking carving/design tips.

Helpful things to keep in mind when trying to come up with the coolest jack-o-lantern on your street. This instructable will not get into any specific designs to use or patterns in hopes that you will be inspired to make your own.

*this is just how i carve my pumpkins every year
this is not the only way/process that one could use to come up with a totally awesome design that beats down everything in its path

Step 1 Getting inspired

This is really just something that happens. Sometimes you have to go out and look for it; sometimes it comes to you. In this case "it" would be what kind of image you want to put on your pumpkin. MY Nightmare Before Christmas one was brought on by my sister being semi obsessed with all Tim Burton movies for about a month. Just recently I was channel surfing and saw a Star Wars commercial. This year I've already drawn up something I think will be making it's way onto my pumpkin.

So first think of things you might possibly want on your pumpkin then a quick google image search could help you find something close to work with.

Comments

[illdoyourdrugs]

Jack The Evil Pumpkin King

[TheMightyMonkey]

 Great pumpkin! :D

[Zem]

Will pumpkins go bad if you leave them alone till your reading to cut them? Like if I leave a pumpkin out in my garage till I want to carve it, will it rot?

[21GeeOff21]

it will rot but it will take a while. it can last for maybe 3 weeks but i would suggest you not hold on to it that long. rotting will vary on conditions and will even change from pumpkin to pumpkin. i usually get my pumpkin 1-2 weeks before halloween and i carve the night before halloween or the day of halloween. because once you carve it, especially if you have small pieces, it will rot fairly quickly.

[Zem]

Okay! Thanks!

[Zem]

Reading? Ready*

[acidaleh]

http://www.myscienceproject.org/pumpkin.html

This shows some different pumpkin preservation techniques haha!

[Goodhart]

One method of safety is to no put the candle directly on the bottom of the pumpkin: wither put it on a solid tile, slab (not wood or cardboard) OR you can turn your pumpkin upside down and carve it, then place it over the candle (remove a hole in the bottom, like you do the top, so you don't set fire to it).

[xplodvelt74]

what ratio of Borax/water do you use for Pumpkins?

[bacaboi]

part water, and part borax thats the ratio. no but seriously i dont know.

[xplodvelt74]

50/50 ratio then... okay, I have to try it... thank you... A good trick is also you can coat the carved parts with white glue, If you will have the pumpkin in the flat, where is mostly dry air... I found that information on the internet... but it has been tested by me, and it works...

[phapboy]

GREAT Instructable! thanks for all the good ideas, and your pumpkins are AMAZING!

[crazythinker13]

that is a awesome Instructable. great job!!!!

[Dorkfish92]

Cool. I spray a Borax/water solution on my pumpkins and they last a pretty long time.

[GorillazMiko]

Awesome! Has a couple of pictures, could use more, but overall, awesome! +5/5 stars.

[matt_maples]

Spraying the inside and cut surfaces with Lysol ® works very well and is quick and easy. The disinfectant keeps it from rotting for quite a long time

[impulse94]

Instead of poking holes or just taping the design down, use 3M Remount spray on the pumpkin side of the design, which will help it adhere really well, yet peel off easily. It's like a Post-It spray. This works best if your design is first copied to tracing paper. Also, try to cut all the small areas first. If you are working on a delicate section where a large portion has already been cut out, it tends to break much more easily.

[PKTraceur]

Nice. Like the stuff. Really wll help!