How to Carve a Pumpkin

Pumpkin Carving Instructions: Carving Designs

6. Sketch the jack-o'-lantern's face on the surface of the pumpkin. If you make a mistake, use a damp cloth to wipe it away -- marks from dry-erase markers or grease pencils should come off easily.

7. Use a paring knife to cut along each line. Use your finger to push the cut-out pieces out of the pumpkin.

Using these steps and a little creativity, you can make a unique pumpkin easily. Here are some ideas for customizing your pumpkin:

Instead of cutting a lid, cut off the entire top of your pumpkin in a zigzag line that resembles spiky hair.
Hold your knife at a slight inward angle as you cut out your design rather than cutting straight through the pumpkin. This will leave a thin rim of visible pumpkin flesh around each hole. When you light your jack-o'-lantern, this will create an orange glow around your design. You can use different cutting angles to create patterns of light and shadow on your pumpkin's surface.
Use leftover pieces of pumpkin to make ears, eyes or a nose. Attach these pieces using toothpicks.
Rather than cutting a face into your pumpkin, cut another design, like a cat, a bat or a message to trick-or-treaters.

You can also make memorable pumpkins by using stencils or carving your design as a relief instead of a cut-out. We'll look at these and other techniques in the next section.