Winky the Square-Eyed Jack-O-Lantern

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick and prep a tall pumpkin

   Choose a tall, oval pumpkin with a smooth flat area on the front for the face. Have an adult cut a lid from the bottom or the back rather than the top so the pumpkin sits stable on the ground. Scoop the insides and scrape the front wall until it is about one inch thick. A thinner wall makes the zigzag teeth much easier to cut cleanly.

2. 2

   Transfer the face layout

   Tape your stencil flat and poke the outlines with a pin, or draw straight onto the skin with a washable marker. Establish the winking eye first as a long, gently curved narrow slit, then place the open tilted square eye lower and larger. That height difference is what sells the expression, so step back and check it before you commit. Mark the zigzag mouth last as a wide band of connected peaks.

3. 3

   Cut the winking slit and square eye

   Start with the small, controlled cuts using a fine carving saw. Saw the narrow wink slit in one smooth pass, keeping it thin so it clearly reads as a closed eye. For the square eye, cut the outer shape but leave a small block of skin in the center for the pupil, which you will treat later. Take your time on the corners so the square stays crisp.

4. 4

   Score the zigzag before sawing

   Draw the full zigzag, then lightly score along every line with a craft knife before you saw all the way through. Scoring gives the saw a guide and keeps the sharp peaks from cracking under pressure. Cut the mouth from the middle outward, freeing one triangle at a time and supporting each peak with your free hand. Save this large opening for near the end since it removes the most material.

5. 5

   Detail the pupil and eyebrows

   For the preserved-skin pupil inside the square eye, use a lino or ribbon tool to peel just the top skin off the surrounding area, leaving the untouched pupil dark. If your design has a brow above the wink, carve it as a short separate slit to add attitude. Clean up all cut edges with the knife tip so the light spills through evenly.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Set a battery LED puck or string inside, never a candle, and close up the opening. Test in a dark room and rotate the light until the square eye and grin glow brightest. Set the pumpkin on gravel or a porch step at dusk and shoot slightly below eye level to catch the warm interior glow. Dab cut edges with petroleum jelly to slow drying if you want it to last a few extra days.

Written with AI to match this design