Tank the Pit Bull

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Choose a large pumpkin and transfer the portrait

   Pick a big pumpkin with a smooth, thick front wall. Transfer a pit bull portrait by taping on a printed reference and poking the main outlines and shading zones with a pin tool. Mark where the brightest highlights and darkest shadows fall.

2. 2

   Skin the portrait area to a base tone

   Peel the outer skin from the whole face with a ribbon tool to set your mid glow. Leave the background rind and the darkest markings unpeeled. This gives you a canvas where every deeper cut reads brighter.

3. 3

   Shade the muzzle, jowls, and chest

   Carve the brightest areas, the top of the muzzle, the jowls, and the glowing chest, deeper so they let through the most light. Take thin passes and blend the transitions so there are no hard steps. Set an LED inside often to judge the gradient.

4. 4

   Define the eyes and fine fur

   Use a fine detail knife for the eyes, eyebrow markings, and whisker follicles, working from the center outward. Leave a backing of flesh under every fine line so the details do not drop out. The gentle eyes are what make the portrait feel alive, so go slowly there.

5. 5

   Refine the contrast and hydrate

   Step back, view it lit, and deepen any area that looks flat while keeping edges supported. Because so much skin is off, mist it and wrap it in plastic in the fridge between sessions. Carve it close to display day and photograph it lit.

Written with AI to match this design