Cool Pumpkin Carvings Using Templates

What exactly are templates

Templates are basically negative images of a design.  A template gives you the ability to easily carve mind-blowing pumpkins that will have your friends and family in complete disbelief.  Templates can be either something that you create yourself, purchase from a store, or download off of the Internet.  There are a few basic materials and tools you will need when carving pumpkins from templates.

Material needed

  • Pumpkin (doesn’t have to be perfectly round)
  • Template
  • Artificial light

Tools needed

  • Ice-cream scooper, tuna can or large spoon (for gutting the pumpkin)
  • Knife or carving saw
  • Pin, nail or small poker
  • Tape

Basic template design

Basic template designs are those designs that create two colors:  the orange glow of the pumpkin and black (where the pumpkin completely covers the light).  With basic templates you cutout shapes in the pumpkin that form a picture when the pumpkin is lit up.  The design can either be created by the black space on the pumpkin or the lighted shapes.

You can create your own templates by drawing your design on a piece of paper or you can purchase some great designs from Pumpkin Masters®.  Pumpkin Masters® offers a great line of products that include basic carving tools and templates.  I picked up one of their kits at my local Wal-Mart for under $4.00.  The kit came with a couple of saws, two types of punches to create holes, a scooper, crayon and 12 patterns.

Spooky cat design

Preparing the template 

To start things off we need to get a printout of our template.  Once you have a printout you will need to cutout a ½ to 1-inch boarder around the design.   

* The extra space will be used to tape the pumpkin to the template

In most cases the template will not fit perfectly onto the pumpkin.  You may need to fold creases in the template to fit it onto the pumpkin.   

Tip:  Make sure that the folded creases do not take away from the design.

 

Outlining the design 

With a hole-punch, push pin or nail, carefully outline the design by punching a hole through the template and outer skin of the pumpkin. 

Tip:  When punching the holes space them no farther out then 1/8 of an inch.

 

 

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