5. Make a Mural

Come up with a scene or some sort of design that can be carried around the entire pumpkin. This way you will be able to view your carving from anywhere. I like to use this technique for pumpkins that will be placed on the front porch railing. That way I can see the carving and so can my trick-or-treaters.

4. Look at the Pumpkin from a Different Angle

The best pumpkins for this type of carving have stems that aren’t straight. I like using the curved stems for noses. They make the best looking faces! The curve in the stem seems to add a bit more character to the carved face.

3. Your Family’s Surname

If you have a long last name, then this might take some time to carve. It might also be difficult to see the entire last name if it wraps around the pumpkin. My kids like to carve their first name into their pumpkins under their creation, as sort of a signature for their artwork.

2. A Holiday Greeting

Writing ‘Happy Halloween’ is probably a bit over done, but it’s always appreciated! It seems harder to make letters look good when carving them into a pumpkin. Making them a bit jagged around the edges actually gives them more of an artistic flair.

1. A Favorite Pet

Even if you don’t feel you are artistic enough to free-hand a portrait of your pet, there is hope. Tons of stencils and templates are available online to download and print. Simply stick the printed copy on the pumpkin, trace the lines, and then use a carving knife to make the face.

Many other pumpkin carving ideas can be found online, in case these aren’t what you are looking for. I usually save one pumpkin to carve at random. This ends up being something unplanned and usually turns out to be very interesting. Do you have a traditional face that you carve every year? Do you all work together to carve one or two pumpkins or does everyone in the family have one to carve?

Top Photo Credit: just.K