Show me your pumpkin!!!

**Nth Degree** · 10-31-2012, 06:30 PM

I have always liked Halloween. My attention to detail goes way beyond cars. I`m guessing there are others here like me. The first 4 are this year`s. The others from last year.

**ca.detailchick** · 10-31-2012, 06:43 PM

Thats some awesome art there!!

**Trouble** · 10-31-2012, 06:49 PM

You could work for Disney trimming bush

**TacoHerder** · 10-31-2012, 08:11 PM

Cool looking carving there. Has anyone noticed how fast the pumpkins are spoiling this year? We carved some last week and I already had to throw them out due to trich taking them over. I think mine managed to dump trich spores all over my house, which will make cultivating mushrooms even harder this winter.

**Concours.John** · 10-31-2012, 08:13 PM

Awesome work. My wife and I used to sit for hours doing pumpkins. It just fell to the wayside when we only had two or three trick or treeters. I still appreciate the time it takes.

**ihaveacamaro** · 10-31-2012, 09:51 PM

wow those are awesome! Could you please tell me how you do that?? (in lots of detail please!

)

**Nth Degree** · 10-31-2012, 11:28 PM

Thanks everyone.

Originally Posted by ihaveacamaro

wow those are awesome! Could you please tell me how you do that?? (in lots of detail please!

)

LOL. I thought about it afterward. I should have documented it like a C&B. I wish I could take credit for the creativity. Most come from patterns I found somewhere or photos I have seen and recreated. I do have some awesome original ideas if I plan ahead next time. I always wait until the last minute to decide my patterns so I don`t have time to work one from scratch. That takes a lot of work making sure it can all connect and remain stable. Once you start cutting it becomes very fragile. I`m still working on technique. It always takes me a pumpkin or two just to remember what I learned from the year before.

The trick is, just like the perfect shine, all in the preparation. Once the pattern is transferred onto the face of the pumpkin I scrape the flesh from the inside until it is about 1/2"-3/4" thick. Some patterns help to have thicker flesh but intricate patterns can be weighed down by the flesh and cause it to break.

I use an Exacto knife for the details and the little saw-like tools that come in the pumpkin carving kits for the large cutouts. Put a bright light source inside and work in a room with dim lighting so you can see both the pattern drawn on the outside and the amount of light shining through. Start with the tiny cut-outs first then do cutting from the center and work out. Always cut the line closest to the center or next to another cutout first or you greatly increase the risk of breaking. The skin blocks all light from coming through while the flesh can allow some light to shine through. This is how I get the different contrast. Only the brightest parts get cutout completely. Once I get the basic outline cut I turn off the lights in the room and use wood carving tools to scrape away the flesh to let through the right amount of light. Expect to ruin a couple of pumpkins the first time you try something intricate. Years ago I did a spider on a web that was awesome, but so difficult. I will see if I can find a photo. To this day it is still my favorite but I don`t think I will ever try it again. Took close to 4 hours. Most of these took about 1-1/2 hours each. Once they are cut they start to dry out so they don`t last long.

**AndrewBigA** · 10-31-2012, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by ca.detailchick

Thats some awesome art there!!

yea what she said! you got some skills for sure!

**Old Pirate** · 11-01-2012, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by Trouble

You could work for Disney trimming bush

Only Trouble.......Great work on them.

**Trouble** · 11-01-2012, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by zoomzoom mazda5

Only Trouble.......Great work on them.

Remember folks, you will only find Trouble here @ Autopia-Forums

**Sleper** · 11-01-2012, 06:20 AM

See my signature

**tropicsteve** · 11-01-2012, 07:40 AM

crap, and i thought i was doing good with triangle cut eyes & nose on mine.

**Nth Degree** · 10-31-2013, 05:34 PM

Getting ready to post photos of this years pumpkins I found a photo of the spider carving I mentioned above. It is from an old disposable camera so the photo is grainy and been cropped, but you get the idea.

This year I didn`t have a lot of time so I didn`t go all out. Once again I waited until the last minute. The first two I am not real thrilled about but the last one I really like the way it came out.

Post your own.