15 ideas for carving your Halloween pumpkin

For Halloween, the fronts of the houses are adorned with pretty pumpkins transformed into lanterns. Here are 15 ideas for carving your Halloween pumpkin.

The History of the Halloween Pumpkin

Jack’O Lantern Credit : AlexRaths

Halloween ! This party folk which comes straight from UK became famous all over the world. Why ? Quite simply because it is enormously represented in the American films and series that we like to watch at home, under the duvet and with a bowl of popcorn. are mainly represented children who dress up in fictional characters coming straight from the frightening world of the dead . Today she is celebrated in almost every country in the world. It's clear that everyone likes to dress up and paint their faces and then go begging for treats in the neighborhood. But, if there is a inseparable accessory of the party Halloween , it is probably the pumpkin lantern . Nevertheless, do you know that the mascot pumpkin of the Halloween party only appeared in modern society?

In fact, Halloween is not a recent party. According to historians, Halloween is a Celtic invention that dates back more than 2000 years . Traditions dictate that on the night of October 31, the dead escape their world to take a turn towards that of the living. And as if that wasn't scary enough, they dress up as monsters. “Halloween” comes from Old English “ All Hallow Even 'meaning' the eve of all saints “, designating the day of October 31, the Christian All Saints Day.

On Halloween night, everyone dresses up , and all the world is scary . And above all, everyone rushes to the market to buy a pumpkin which, after an afternoon of digging and carving, will become a lantern decorative in front of the house. If Halloween is a two thousand year old holiday, the Halloween pumpkin only appeared in the 19th century and comes from an Irish tale. The face of the pumpkin represents Stingy Jack, a drunkard punished by the devil for playing him. In homage to this character, the pumpkin is called Jack’O Lantern , which can be translated as jack the lantern ».

The sculpture  pumpkin to make a lantern worthy of Halloween is a real art in its own right . First of all, it is necessary to choose the right pumpkin. She shouldn't not be too mature . The flesh of an overripe pumpkin tends to sag under the knife used to carve it. The pumpkin must also be the right size , depending on the type of sculpture you want to make. Finally, it is necessary to perfectly dig inside pumpkin with a spoon to remove all filaments and seeds. If there are any left, they may catch fire because of the candle placed inside. Of course, neither your house nor your garden is at risk of igniting. Quite simply, the pumpkin may turn black and reek of smoke. Inside the emptied pumpkin, place a candle and install your decoration on your doorstep or in your garden. Do not hesitate to prepare various . You can very well scatter your different pumpkins all over the house for a Halloween decoration to piss off the whole neighborhood. However, still plan several hours of carving. Making Jack'O Lanterns takes time.

15 ideas for carving your Halloween pumpkin

Staged Halloween pumpkins Credit: IvanMikhaylov

As Halloween has become hugely popular around the world, the sculpture of the pumpkin has been adapted according to taste , imagination and talent of all who celebrate this feast. This has given rise to various styles of sculpture, to the delight of decoration enthusiasts. If you are running out of ideas, here are 15 to help you make the most beautiful Jack'O Lanterns of your life.

The traditional Jack O'lantern

Jack’O lantern ceramic pumpkin Credit: Petr Kratochvil

To make the traditional 'Jack O'Lantern' pumpkin

Steps :

- With a sharp knife, remove the “cap” from the pumpkin. Scrape the inside to remove everything it contains.

- Once the pumpkin is empty, draw Jack's face on the pumpkin with a marker . This drawing will serve as your guide  for a sculpture in due form.

- Make eye triangles and one small nose triangle . The traditional pumpkin lantern represents a smiling face and an open and toothless mouth .

- Use your knife to cut out pieces of the pumpkin following your guide drawing.

- When all the pumpkin pieces are removed, place a candle inside . Opt for a tall candle so that it does not completely burn out in one or two hours.

Trick : Wait until you have installed the pumpkin and the candle before lighting the latter.

The grimacing face

Pumpkin with grimacing face. Halloween Credit: Istock

Each step for this type of sculpture is the same as for the classic Jack'O Lantern. With the only difference that the smile is drawn and sculpted in reverse, which makes the pumpkin look angry. For a bit scarier side, you can sculpt frowning eyebrows above the eyes.

The small mouse

Father and daughter carving a pumpkin Credit: evgenyatamanenko

To make a mouse , draw the round ears, two small circles for the eyes, the muzzle with the nose at the tip, and small whiskers, ideally three on each side.

The Death's Head

Skull lantern Credit: Kelly Taylor

The skull is the symbol best representing death. It goes without saying that it fits perfectly on a Halloween pumpkin.

Shapes

Halloween pumpkin faces in the dark Credit: seamartini

If you want change style , you can opt for forms (squares, triangles, hearts, stars…). Carried out perfectly, the sculpture can give something original and different.

The use of other materials

Pumpkin with a hat Credit: OlyaSolodenko

It is possible to use other materials for a more elaborate pumpkin. You can for example use thread to sew Jack's smile . This can exacerbate the scary side of the pumpkin. You can also use nails to represent Hellraiser . With a hat , you can represent Freddy Krueger.

The owl

Pumpkin in the form of an owl Credit: Minakryn Ruslan

The owl Although it has the symbolism of wisdom, this nocturnal bird is very often equated with witches. To make an owl, cut out two large round pieces from the pumpkin to make the eyes and a small inverted triangle to make the beak. Simple and efficient .

The haunted house

Halloween pumpkin in a forest Credit: RomoloTavani

For this style, it is preferable to use an elongated squash . Sculpt three windows up and a big door downstairs. Once the candle is lit, the doors and windows will seem to lead to the flames of hell.

The Cyclops

Giant cyclops pumpkin Credit: IvanMikhaylov

The Cyclops is a mythical creature descended from Greek and Roman legends . This is a giant with disturbing teeth and easily recognizable by its single eye . To represent a cyclops, it is necessary to draw a large eye and the pupil inside. When carving, be careful not to cut out the entire eye, or you'll just leave a gaping hole in your pumpkin. The white of the eye must imperatively be represented. For this, you have to pay attention to the depth to which you dig.

The wink

Funny wink Credit: Pexels

The wink is not necessarily scary, but as it is enough to represent a face, it remains in the theme. To make the eye closed, simply make an arc near the other eye . Make sure it's neither too thin nor too thick. Too thick, the arc could lead to confusion as to whether it is open or not. Conversely, if the arc is too thin, the light emanating from the candle may not pass through it.

The artwork

Family getting ready for Halloween Credit: Choreograph

Depending on your ability to draw and wield the knife to carve a pumpkin, it is possible to create true works of art . Carving this type of pumpkin lantern is not given to everyone. However, if you have enough talent, you can depict a scene, a more elaborate drawing, or even a large master painting.

the skull

Young woman with a Halloween lantern Credit: Marcos Elihu Castillo Ramirez

The skulls are small Mexican dolls representing skeletons . They are considered figurative representations of death. It is actually a skull usually adorned with flowers and motifs specific to South American art . The calavera pumpkin also requires special skills in terms of carving.

The witch

Spooky face carved into a pumpkin Credit: Olga Sidelnikova

To make a witch , lay the pumpkin differently, so that its peduncle either from the front . Use the peduncle to make the hooked nose of the witch and sculpt the rest of the face around it. Do not hesitate to put a pointed hat on the pumpkin to perfectly represent the witch.

The stagings

Pumpkins on a wooden table Credit: RomoloTavani

It is possible to create scenes using several pumpkins, of different sizes. For example, you can represent any family of pumpkins with mom, dad and kids. In the end, it all comes down to your imagination, as well as your sculpting skills. You can very get inspired by the different scenes of daily life .

Letters

Letter G carved into a pumpkin Credit: natatravel

You can send messages through the pumpkin lanterns. Instead of carving patterns, shapes, or a face, carve letters . Again, the choice of message is yours. Here's a simple message idea: carve a B on one pumpkin, an O on another, and an O on another. Lay them side by side to form the word 'Boo', a favorite expression of ghosts.