Cute Narwhal Jack-O-Lantern with Ocean Waves

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick a pumpkin and open it up

   Choose a pumpkin with a wide, smooth front panel so the whole narwhal fits with room for the waves underneath. Have an adult cut a lid from the bottom or the back rather than the top, which keeps the stem intact and makes the LED easy to swap. Scoop the insides and thin the carving wall on the front to about one inch. A thinner wall makes the body cutout and horn far easier to cut cleanly.

2. 2

   Transfer the stencil

   Tape your narwhal and wave stencil flat against the front, snipping the edges so the paper hugs the curve. Poke the outlines with a pin or transfer tool, spacing dots close together on curves like the head and tail. Pay special attention to marking the skin bridges for the eye, mouth line, and flipper so you remember to leave those uncut. Peel the paper and connect any faint sections with a washable marker.

3. 3

   Peel the body for a soft glow

   Before cutting all the way through, use a shallow gouge or lino tool to skin the spot dots along the narwhal's back. Remove only the outer skin so those dots glow dim orange rather than bright. This gives the character depth without weakening the wall. Keep your free hand behind the blade and take slow, shallow passes.

4. 4

   Cut the body and waves

   With a fine detail saw, cut out the large body shape, working from the center outward and leaving the eye, mouth, and flipper skin bridges intact. Cut the two wave shapes below the same way, keeping the wavy lines connected at their ends so the pumpkin stays sturdy. Support the pumpkin in your lap and let the saw do the work instead of forcing it. Gently push the cut pieces inward and out to release them.

5. 5

   Save the spiral horn for last

   Cut the thin spiral horn only after the big openings are done, since the wall is weakest once the body is gone. Use the finest saw blade you have and make short, patient strokes, keeping the horn a touch wider than it looks if your pumpkin feels soft. If a stencil horn looks too skinny to survive, thicken it slightly or leave small skin nicks between the spiral marks as bridges. Brush away all crumbs from the cut edges when you finish.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Drop in a battery LED, warm white or amber, and set it low and centered so the body and waves glow evenly. Skip real candles, since the thin horn and narrow wave bridges can scorch. Take your photo at dusk against a dark door or step so the glow pops. If one area looks dim, prop the light on a small block to raise it toward the center of the design.