Jul 29, 2026

Spotted Stingray Cutout Pumpkin Carving

Gliding across the front of this pumpkin, a spotted stingray glows through clean pierced cuts, with a curling tail and dotted wings. The spots are drilled with round bits in two sizes, which keeps them crisp and fast to cut. It is a great ocean-themed pumpkin carving idea for coastal homes, and the wide body opening throws impressive light on a dark step.

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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Medium Animals Artistic Classic Cutout

stingray ocean sea-creature cutout spotted beach

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Want to try this?

Bring a graceful spotted stingray gliding across your porch with clean pierced cuts and drilled dots.

Some experience helps · Drilled dots + cutouts

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Look for ocean and sea-creature stencils with dotted or pierced patterns.

Cute Starfish 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 core trick here is the drilled dot pattern across the wings, made with two round bit sizes so the spots stay crisp and quick to cut instead of hand-carving each one. You cut the wide body opening for the brightest glow and drill the graduated dots to fade the light across the wings. The curling tail is left as thin ribbon openings, so plan bridges early to keep the shape strong.

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

Transfer the stingray outline
Print the stencil sized to fit the flattest front panel of your pumpkin and tape it firmly in place. Poke through the main body outline, the wing edges, and the tail curves with a poking tool, spacing dots close together. Mark the two dot sizes with different colors so you know which bit to use. Peel the paper and connect the dots lightly with a marker to preview the shape.
Open the lid and clean the wall
Cut a lid from the bottom or the back rather than the top so the stem stays intact as a display feature. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, then thin the carving wall on the front panel to about one inch. A thinner wall makes both the cutouts and the drilled dots easier to pierce cleanly. Even thickness keeps the light glowing evenly across the wings.
Drill the spotted wing pattern
Using a hand drill or a rotary tool with round bits in two sizes, bore the dot pattern into the wings first while the pumpkin is still solid and strong. Start with the larger dots along the wing centers and step down to smaller dots toward the edges to mimic the fading spots. Drill straight in and pull straight out to keep each hole round. Doing these before the big cuts means the surface still has full support.
Cut the body and wing openings
Switch to a fine saw blade and cut the main body opening and the swept wing shapes, working from the center outward. Cut the largest openings last so the surrounding shell stays rigid while you work. Leave a small bridge of skin where the tail meets the body so the thin tail does not tear away. Support each piece with your free hand as you finish a cut and push scraps inward gently.
Carve the curling tail
The tail is the most delicate part, so cut it as two thin curving ribbons of light rather than one wide gap. Keep at least a finger-width of pumpkin between the tail lines so they hold their shape. Work slowly with short strokes and let the blade do the cutting instead of forcing it. If a section feels flimsy, leave an extra bridge to anchor it.
Light it and photograph
Set a battery LED puck or a string of LEDs inside, never a candle, so the drilled dots and open body glow safely for hours. Rotate the light until the wing spots read clearly and the tail catches the beam. Rub a little petroleum jelly on cut edges to slow drying and keep the lines sharp. Photograph it after dark on a step so the wide body opening throws the most dramatic light.

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 skin around the stingray stays untouched for a dark background that frames the shape.
Peel & shade
The narrow gaps between the tail ribbons and the thin body edges can be skin-peeled for a soft dim halo.
Cut through
The wide body opening, swept wings, and drilled dots are cut fully through for the brightest glow.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the drilled spots even?

Mark your two dot sizes on the stencil first so you never guess mid-cut. Drill straight in and out with steady pressure, and let the bit clear itself between holes. Doing all the dots before the big cutouts keeps the wall firm and the holes round.

The thin tail looks fragile. How do I keep it from breaking?

Carve the tail as two slender curving lines rather than one wide opening, and leave a finger-width of pumpkin between them. Keep a small skin bridge where the tail meets the body. Cut it early while the shell is still strong and support the area with your free hand.

Should I cut the lid from the top?

With this design it is better to cut your access hole from the back or bottom so the natural stem stays as a nice display detail. A bottom opening also lets you set the pumpkin over an LED light easily. Just be sure the wall stays sturdy enough to sit flat.