Bubbles the Clownfish

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep the pumpkin and transfer the pattern

   Pick a round, evenly colored pumpkin with a smooth face for the fish. Cut a lid or a bottom access hole and scrape the inside wall behind the design down to about an inch thick so light passes through easily. Tape your clownfish and bubble stencil to the front, then poke the outlines with a pushpin or transfer tool. Peel the paper and connect the dots with a washable marker so you can see the stripes, fins, and bubble placement clearly.

2. 2

   Drill the bubbles first

   Use a drill bit or an apple corer to open the round bubbles for clean, perfect circles. Start with the smaller bubbles and work outward, keeping space between each so the shell stays firm. Twist slowly and let the tool do the work rather than forcing it. Doing these before the fish means you can adjust spacing while the pumpkin is still solid.

3. 3

   Cut through the white stripes

   With a fine detail saw, cut all the way through along the three stripe shapes and the eye. Saw at a steady, gentle pace and support the shell with your free hand near, but not directly under, the blade. Remove each cutout piece carefully so you do not crack the thin ribs of orange between stripes. Leave narrow bridges of skin wherever a stripe would otherwise float free, so the surrounding body stays attached.

4. 4

   Shade the orange body and fins

   Switch to a lino or ribbon gouge and peel away just the outer skin on the body, fins, and tail, leaving the flesh underneath. This is the shell technique, and it will glow a dim orange when lit. Vary how deep you scrape to suggest the rounded belly and the layered fins. Keep the peeled areas even in thickness so the light spreads smoothly instead of blotching.

5. 5

   Refine details and clean edges

   Deepen the shading around the eye, mouth, and fin ridges to add dimension. Trim any ragged edges on the stripe cutouts with a small knife so the bright openings read crisp. Wipe the carved face with a damp cloth to remove pulp specks that dull the glow. Step back and check that the fish shape still reads clearly from a few feet away.

6. 6

   Light it and take the photo

   Set a battery LED puck or string inside rather than a flame, since the shaded shell and small bubbles can scorch with real heat. Warm-white or flicker-mode LEDs give the friendliest reef glow. Place the pumpkin on a porch step at dusk and shoot slightly below eye level so the cutouts catch the camera. A dab of petroleum jelly on the cut edges slows browning if you want it to last a few more days.

Written with AI to match this design