The jack-o'-lantern has been associated with Halloween since the time of the Civil War. The practice, which emigrated from Ireland, was intended to ward off evil spirits on All Hallows' Eve. Today, the carving of jack-o'-lanterns is as much a creative outlet as Halloween fun. Here are some ideas for Halloween jack-o'-lantern carving.
You'll need several tools to get started before going to work on your pumpkin.
1. A few sharp kitchen knives; one that's big and sturdy, and one or more smaller more agile knives.
2. Newspaper, sketch paper or printing paper.
3. Pencils and a marker of some kind, like a Sharpie.
4. A trash bag to collect the pumpkin innards.
Plan your design
You can create virtually any kind of face or shape or scenario on your pumpkin. It will take a little dexterity and some careful planning. First sketch your design on a piece of paper. Tweak it until you get it right, and draw it large enough to match the size of the pumpkin you're going to carve.
Ready to cut
You don't have to stick with the usual jagged-toothed grin, triangles for eyes pumpkin face every Halloween. You can make a design featuring the face of the famous or -- preferably for Halloween -- infamous. You can try cartoon characters or animals. You can recreate Frankenstein's monster or a werewolf. If you're really ambitious, you can make a castle or haunted house.
Now, trace over the drawing you've made. Use a thick marker like a Sharpie. As soon as you're done, press the drawing against the face of the pumpkin. The picture you've drawn should leave a light imprint when you take the paper away. Now you have a good template for carving. Also, you may want to make some light strokes with the knife over the implant as soon as you've made the transfer before it fades.
More tips
The membrane underneath the thick, orange rind of the pumpkin is porous. Light can pass through. So rather than removing the rind completely, you can shave off the outer skin and a little underneath to create more effects. The areas you want to be completely bright should be carved out. The areas you want shaded should be shaved.
Make it a group event. Involve the entire family or the neighbors and have a pumpkin-carving contest. Give the kids a simple design; allow them to use a kid friendly cutting knife if they can. Get a small pumpkin for them to call their own.
The Irish used other vegetables like squash to turn into lanterns. For variety's sake, you can as well.
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