Jack Skellington with smoking eyes

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and open the pumpkin

   Pick a rounded pumpkin that can rest on its side without rolling. Cut a lid from the back or bottom rather than the top so the opening stays hidden when displayed on its side. Scoop the inside clean and thin the front wall to about one inch so your blade passes through easily. A thinner wall also lets the smoke escape faster.

2. 2

   Transfer the face

   Tape your Jack Skellington stencil to the front and poke the outlines with a pin or awl. Mark the two tall ovals for the eyes, the two small triangle or slit nostrils, and the long curved grin. Draw light guide dots for the vertical tooth bridges inside the mouth so they stay even. Step back and check the spacing before any blade touches the skin.

3. 3

   Carve the eyes and nostrils

   Start with the smaller openings while the pumpkin is still strong. Cut the ovals with a fine saw, following your pin lines and keeping the edges smooth and rounded. Slice the nostril slits as short, narrow openings so they do not blow out into a big hole. Ease the pieces out gently to avoid cracking the surrounding wall.

4. 4

   Cut the stitched grin

   Outline the full grin, then carve the top and bottom edges of the mouth. Leave narrow vertical strips standing between each tooth gap so they act as bridges and hold the smile shape. Cut each gap one at a time rather than removing the whole mouth at once. This is the widest opening, so save it for last to keep the face rigid.

5. 5

   Add the smoke and light

   Set a battery LED inside to underlight the face with a warm glow. Place a small container of warm water and drop in dry ice just before showtime, wearing gloves and never touching the ice bare-handed. The fog will sink and pour out of the eyes, nostrils, and grin. Keep the area ventilated and let an adult handle the dry ice.

6. 6

   Stage and photograph

   Rest the pumpkin on its side on a dark surface like charred wood or bark for contrast. Shoot in low light so the LED glow and the pale smoke stand out against the shadows. Snap frames right after adding fresh dry ice when the smoke is thickest. Refresh the ice between shots to keep the flow steady.