Stem-Nosed Pumpkin

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Stem-Nosed Pumpkin

Michael Natiello shows a clever technique for creating a stem-nosed jack-o'-lantern.

Stem-Nosed Jack-o'-Lantern

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Use a pumpkin's twisty stem as a nose for your jack-o'-lantern in this inventive how-to from artist Michael Natiello.

Tools and Materials

Pumpkin
Scary or silly template
Handsaw
Large spoon
Printer paper
Carbon paper
Scissors
Tape
Ballpoint pen
Keyhole saw
Linoleum cutter
Clay sculpting loop

Stem-Nosed Jack-o'-Lantern How-To

Choose a pumpkin that has thick walls and is firm and heavy (do not use a soft or squishy pumpkin). Also, be sure your pumpkin has an interesting stem or one that suits the expression you intend to carve.
To create a firm base for your pumpkin, cut of off one rounded bottom edge with a handsaw. Using a large spoon, scoop out seeds and scrape inside smooth.
Download, print, and cut out desired jack-o'-lantern template. With tape, attach template pieces to carbon paper. Cut around template pieces leaving a 1/4-inch margin of carbon paper all around.
Tape carbon-paper-backed template pieces to pumpkin as desired and transfer design by tracing over entire template with a ballpoint pen.
Once design is completely transferred to pumpkin, remove template pieces, but save them to act as a reference while cutting and carving.
Using the keyhole saw, completely cut away the whites of the eyes and the space in the mouth (shaded in black).
Using the linoleum cutter, remove skin from around eyes and mouth as well as on the eyeballs and teeth (shaded in light orange). The darker orange shading on the template indicates remaining pumpkin skin.
Lastly, using the clay-sculpting loop, scrape and carve eyeballs and teeth into appropriate shapes.

Resources

Pumpkin carving tools available at your local crafts-supply store. Carbon paper available from your local office supplies store.

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