Ripple the Spotted Stingray

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Transfer the stingray outline

   Print your 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.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   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.

Written with AI to match this design