Happy Halloween Greeting Pumpkin with Sick Little Pumpkin

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Plan and transfer the layout

   Since this is a concept image, start by picking a wide, tall pumpkin with a smooth front to hold two lines of text plus a scene. Print or draw a stencil that stacks HAPPY over HALLOWEEN with the pumpkin, bat, and bucket below. Tape it snug, then poke the outlines with a transfer tool or pin so you have a dotted map. Double check that the two words sit level before you cut anything.

2. 2

   Open the lid and clean the wall

   Cut a lid from the top around the stem, angling the knife inward so the lid rests without falling in. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, then scrape the inside of the carving wall down to about one inch thick. A thinner, even wall makes the letters much easier to cut and lets more light through. Save some scooped flesh in case you want to patch a slip later.

3. 3

   Score the letters and etch the vines

   Go over your dotted outlines with a light scoring cut so every letter and the scene edges are clearly marked. For the swirling vines and any fine curls, use a shallow etch or skin peel instead of cutting through, so they glow dim without weakening the shell. Work slowly around tight curves like the O and the loops in the vines. Keep the connecting bridges inside letters such as A, P, and O intact.

4. 4

   Cut the letters from the inside out

   Use a fine detail saw and start each letter from its interior, cutting outward toward the edges. Do the small enclosed shapes first, like letter centers, before the long strokes so the surrounding pumpkin stays firm as you work. Support each piece with a finger from behind as it comes free to avoid cracking a neighbor. Leave the bridges between letters and around counters thicker than you think you need, since block letters put a lot of weight on those spans.

5. 5

   Carve the scene and the candy trail

   Cut through the little pumpkin's scrunched face, the bat, and the tipped bucket, saving the widest openings for last. Cut the falling candy and the spill as a row of small round holes so light reads as a stream of pieces. Etch or peel the leaves and any soft shading so they glow softer than the full cutouts. Take breaks to hold the pumpkin up to a lamp and check that everything reads.

6. 6

   Light it and set it on the porch

   Drop in one or two battery LED lights rather than a candle, since all these cutouts channel a lot of glow and open flame near a paper stencil scrap is a bad idea. Position the lights low and slightly forward so the bottom scene stays as bright as the letters up top. Wipe the cut edges dry and rub a little petroleum jelly on them to slow browning. Set it on a flat step, snap your photo at dusk, and enjoy the marquee.