Pumpkin Carving
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I thought it would be fun to get into the Halloween spirit by trying to carve a pumpkin. The last time I attempted pumpkin carving, I was in middle school, so I had no idea where to start. After watching a few tutorials on YouTube and doing a bit of research, I bought some woodworking tools, a standard pumpkin carving set, and went out to find a pumpkin.
I decided to get my pumpkin from a local farm that I drive past on my way to work each day. I went into their pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to carve, and voilà, there it was. Step one was to cut off the top and gut the pumpkin. Unfortunately, I didn’t take pictures of this step, but I did save the pumpkin seeds and toast them as a snack.
All the tutorials I found recommended having a design before starting to carve, as it’s essential to draw the design onto the pumpkin. One of my favorite fall movies is Coraline, and since this year marks its 10th anniversary, I decided to create a Coraline-themed pumpkin. I found some online inspiration, which I’ll share below.
I started by outlining my design in red Sharpie. I discovered I could erase the outline with alcohol, so I adjusted and refined it until I was completely satisfied.
Next, I used my X-Acto knife to carve around all the Sharpie marks. In the areas where I wanted to remove the skin, I created a square pattern by slashing the surface. This made it easier to pop up those sections. Then, using my woodworking tools, I gradually removed the skin bit by bit.
After removing the skin, I placed a light inside to see how it looked. When I couldn't see the light shining through, I realized I hadn't removed enough skin. I used my woodworking tool to carve away more from the outside and then removed additional skin from the inside of the pumpkin as well.
At this point, I felt satisfied with how the design was turning out. It wasn’t flawless—there were a few rough edges and minor imperfections here and there—but considering it was my very first attempt at pumpkin carving, I was proud of my work. Tackling a design this intricate wasn’t easy, but I think I managed to capture what I had envisioned. Overall, it was a rewarding experience, and I felt a sense of accomplishment in bringing my Coraline-inspired idea to life.
Final Result
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