Barnaby the Saint Bernard

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep the pumpkin and cut the lid

   Pick a tall, smooth pumpkin with a broad flat face and few ribs so the portrait sits evenly. An adult should cut an access hole in the back rather than the top, which keeps the front surface unbroken for etching. Scrape the inside wall behind the face down to about one inch so light can pass through when you thin it later. Dry the inner wall with a paper towel before you start.

2. 2

   Transfer your stencil

   Tape your Saint Bernard stencil flat against the face, clipping the edges so it hugs the curve without wrinkling. Poke the outlines of the eyes, nose, mask, and coat edges with a transfer tool or pin so you have a dotted map. Peel the paper and connect the dots lightly with a washable marker. Double check that both eyes sit level and the same size before you touch a blade.

3. 3

   Carve the eyes first

   Start with the eyes since the whole likeness depends on them. Use a fine detail knife to etch the outlines, then peel the skin inside the iris for a soft mid glow while leaving a tiny untouched dot for the pupil and a catchlight. Keep the eyes slightly darker than the muzzle so they read as soulful rather than blank. Step back often and check that both eyes match in shape and depth.

4. 4

   Etch the bright muzzle and blaze

   Skin-peel the broad muzzle, the blaze between the eyes, and the light patches so those areas glow warm orange. In the brightest spots you can thin the wall almost to the inner surface, working slowly and testing with a light behind. Leave the dark mask around the eyes and the ridges of the nose barely touched so they stay in shadow. Vary your pressure to build the rounded, soft shading of the face.

5. 5

   Shade the coat and dark markings

   Leave the dark ears, mask, and outer fur mostly untouched skin so they frame the bright face. For the ruff, use short directional strokes that follow the direction the fur grows, peeling only the tips for subtle highlights. Keep small bridges of skin between strokes so the surface stays strong and does not collapse. This graduated shading is what gives the portrait its depth.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Set a battery LED puck or string inside, never a candle, since the thinned face can scorch. Warm white light brings out the orange glow best, so try a couple of bulbs to see which flatters the muzzle. Shoot at dusk with the light on and a little ambient glow so both the bright face and the dark coat show. Mist the cut edges with water and refrigerate overnight to keep the fine detail crisp.

Written with AI to match this design