Sep 14, 2026

Sad Heart-Nosed Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin

Two large drooping teardrop eyes bracket a small heart-shaped nose, and below them a wide zigzag mouth full of pointed peaks creates a miserable, funny frown. This pumpkin carving idea gets its humor from the contrast between the soft heart nose and the jagged, almost angry mouth. Cut the heart nose first since it is the smallest and most delicate piece, using a fine-tipped pumpkin saw to keep the curves smooth. Viewing the finished jack-o-lantern from slightly below eye level makes the drooping eyes read even more dramatically sad.

This is an AI-generated concept image: a realistic, carvable design idea rather than a photo of a finished carve. AI concepts are always labeled and sit out the leaderboard and the contest.

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Easy Faces Funny Classic Cutout

jack-o-lantern face funny cutout easy sad heart-nose frown

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Want to try this?

Want to try this? This sad-faced jack-o-lantern is a fun, forgiving project for a cozy carving night.

Beginner friendly \u00b7 Simple cutouts + smooth curves

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Similar stencils feature big teardrop eyes and jagged frowning mouths.

Jack-o-Lantern Face Pumpkin Stencil
hard difficulty
View printable pattern

Tools for this approach

Our suggestions for trying a similar carve. Start with what you already have.

Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon

A little extra help

Our tips for carving a similar design

The whole personality of this design comes from one contrast: a tiny soft heart nose set against big drooping teardrop eyes and a wide zigzag mouth. The plan is to draw all five shapes first so they stay balanced, then cut smallest to largest so the delicate heart never sits next to a weakened edge. Keep every opening a clean full cutout for that bright, sad glow.

Written by PumpkinCarvingIdeas.com, inspired by the image above. These are our suggestions, not instructions from the uploader. This approach to the AI concept has not been tested on a real pumpkin.

From pumpkin to porch

Prep the pumpkin and plan the face
Pick a rounder pumpkin so the drooping eyes have room to spread wide. Have an adult cut a lid from the bottom or back rather than the top, which keeps the stem intact and makes it easy to set over an LED light later. Scoop the inside until the front wall is about one inch thick so your saw glides through. Thinner walls light up more evenly and are easier on delicate cuts.
Draw the whole face before cutting
Sketch the two large teardrop eyes first, angling their pointed inner corners upward so they look sad. Add the small heart nose centered just below and between them. Draw the wide mouth as a row of sharp peaks and valleys, keeping the bottom edge curved into a frown. Step back and check the spacing, since fixing marker is far easier than fixing a cut.
Cut the heart nose first
Start with the smallest, most delicate shape while the pumpkin wall is still fully supported. Use a fine-tipped pumpkin saw and take slow, short strokes to keep the two curved lobes of the heart smooth. Let the little wedge fall inward and clean the edges gently. Doing this first means you never work near it after the bigger openings weaken the surface.
Cut the zigzag mouth
Saw the mouth next, following your peaks and valleys carefully. Cut each triangular tooth as its own clean stroke rather than dragging through the whole shape at once, which keeps the points crisp. Support the pumpkin from underneath with your free hand and keep fingers clear of the blade path. The sharper you keep those peaks, the funnier the angry-frown contrast becomes.
Cut the large teardrop eyes last
Save the biggest openings for the end so the pumpkin stays sturdy while you handle the fine work. Cut each teardrop in a single confident curve, keeping the pointed inner corners neat. If you want the drooping look even softer, lightly bevel the top edge of each eye with your knife so light spills gently. Remove the two large plugs and tidy any stringy bits.
Light it and shoot from below
Drop in an LED tealight or a small battery puck, never a real candle, since the wide openings and thin walls carve up fast. Set the pumpkin on a wall or ledge and view it from slightly below eye level to make the drooping eyes read as extra sad. Snap your photo at dusk when the warm glow pops against the blue sky. If any edge looks ragged, a quick trim with a paring knife cleans it up.

Gather your supplies

Check things off as you get ready.

Work on a stable surface, keep your free hand out of the cutting path, and have an adult handle sharp tools.

Three levels of light

Leave intact
The pumpkin's outer skin across the cheeks and forehead stays dark for the face shape.
Peel & shade
Optional: shave a thin halo just inside each eye's top edge for a soft dim glow around the droop.
Cut through
The two teardrop eyes, the heart nose, and the zigzag mouth are full cutouts for the brightest light.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the small heart nose from tearing?

Cut it first, while the surrounding wall is still fully intact and strong. Use a fine-tipped saw with slow, short strokes rather than forcing the blade. Push the little wedge inward instead of prying it outward.

My zigzag teeth keep breaking off. What went wrong?

Long peaks with thin bases snap easily, so keep each tooth short and wide at its root. Cut each triangle as its own clean stroke instead of sawing through the whole mouth in one pass. A one inch pumpkin wall also holds the points better than a thin one.

Why cut the big eyes last?

The teardrop eyes are the largest openings, and removing them early leaves the front wall floppy and hard to control. Saving them for the end keeps the pumpkin rigid while you handle the delicate heart and mouth. Big openings always come last.