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This free Alien Face pumpkin stencil is a printable PDF pattern you can print at home, tape to your pumpkin, and trace. An alien face with a massive domed cranium, huge almond-shaped eyes with small round irises, a vestigial nose, and thin lips fills the stencil from chin to crown, flanked by flame-like protrusions from the skull. The large dome is carved open, while the eyes are cut as open ovals with small solid iris nubs, and a series of small petal shapes around the chin and cheeks add texture. Lit from inside, the open skull dome blazes brightest and the eye shapes glow along the lower half, giving the face an eerie two-zone lighting effect. To keep the narrow iris nubs centered inside the eye ovals, cut the outer eye shape before removing the interior. Use it as a carving template for your Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It is rated Advanced. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Fine details and narrow supports need careful planning. Follow the cutting and shading key in this design’s PDF.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
- Transfer the pattern, paying extra attention to the small iris circles nested inside each eye oval.
- Cut the large dome opening at the top of the skull first to relieve pressure on the pumpkin wall.
- Carve each eye oval next, stopping just inside the iris nub boundary.
- Carefully cut around each iris nub to free the oval while leaving the nub attached.
- Remove the small chin and cheek petal shapes, working outward from center.
- Cut the flame-spike protrusions at the skull sides last using short controlled strokes to avoid snapping the tips.
Tools you'll need
For a advanced carve like this you'll want a fine-detail pumpkin saw, spoon / scoop, pin transfer tool, and small gouge if the pattern includes shading. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
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.
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HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
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Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
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AdvancedThe Serrated Smile Pumpkin Stencil
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AdvancedThe Stitched Stare Pumpkin Stencil
Two enormous wide eyes with hanging pupils stare beneath crackling zigzag brows, while small skull nostrils sit above a long stitched grin that stretches nearly ear to ear. The eyes are cut through around the drooping pupil tabs, the nostrils are pierced, and the mouth is one thin line crossed by vertical stitch slits. Those dangling pupils and skinny stitches make this a hard carve; keep every stitch cut short and support the pupil tabs while you saw around them.
AdvancedOld Mischief Pumpkin Stencil
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