Jinu in Traditional Gat Hat Jack-O-Lantern

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep the surface

   Select a large, vertically tall pumpkin to accommodate the full hat-crown-to-jacket composition. Cut a back lid, scrape walls to 2 cm, and clean the carving surface. Print the stencil to fill the pumpkin's front panel completely.

2. 2

   Transfer every detail

   Tape the stencil and pin-transfer the oval edge, hat outline including brim and crown bridge, portrait silhouette, face slot positions, collar and sleeve holes, and the weave texture pattern on the hat. Use different colored marker dots to distinguish cut-through areas from shallow-back areas.

3. 3

   Cut the oval body

   Begin with the oval surround, cutting from the lower sides upward. Leave the hat brim bridge at the top completely intact for now. Cut around the sides of the portrait and confirm the neck and jacket base root is solid before proceeding.

4. 4

   Engrave the hat weave texture

   Use a linoleum gouge to shallow-back the hat surface, creating the woven texture without cutting through. This is detailed, patient work. Remove the outer skin plus about one-third of the rind depth to create a subtle relief, and test with a back light after every few strokes to avoid going too deep.

5. 5

   Add face slots and collar details

   Cut the open face eye slots with a detail saw, keeping the surrounding face rind intact. Add separated collar and sleeve holes with narrow cuts, leaving solid rind between each one. These cuts are small so they are low risk, but make them after all engraving so the pumpkin is still maximally stable.

6. 6

   Cut the hat brim bridge last

   Only after all other cuts and engravings are complete, carefully cut the hat brim bridge at the top of the oval. Support the portrait from behind with your free hand as you make this cut. Insert the LED immediately and check all connections before displaying.

Written with AI to match this design