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View all stencils →About this stencil
A fierce take on the traditional jack-o'-lantern, this design pairs sharply slanted triangle eyes with a long sawtooth mouth that zigzags across the lower face. Both eyes and the jagged grin are pierced completely through the wall so the whole snarl blazes with candlelight. The narrow zigzag points make this a medium carve; cut each tooth with short strokes toward the point so the tips stay crisp instead of snapping off. This design is rated Intermediate and takes most carvers around 75 minutes from trace to glow. Comfortable knife handling required. Small details and curves.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5–7") — print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7–10") — print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11–13") — 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 at 100% for a 7–10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11–13 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 5–10 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 double the lifespan.
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
- 1Print it
Download the PDF and print at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper.
- 2Prep the pumpkin
Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the guts, thin the wall to ~1 inch.
- 3Tape it on
Snip darts in the paper so it lies flat against the curve.
- 4Transfer the design
Poke along every line — about one dot every 1/8 inch.
- 5Carve it
Connect the dots with short straight cuts. Center first, work outward.
- 6Light it up
Drop in a battery LED pumpkin light and you're done.
Tools you'll need
For a intermediate carve like this you'll want a x-acto knife, poker tool, ribbon scoop, and painter's tape. Here's the kit we reach for — 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.
View on Amazon ↗
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.
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.
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Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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AdvancedBarred Eyes and Serrated Grin
This wicked traditional face stacks barred triangle eyes with heavy slanted brows above a huge serrated grin, then flanks the mouth with rows of small wedge and diamond accents across both cheeks. Everything is cut through, and the eye bars are thin strips of shell left inside each triangle. Cut on both sides of each eye bar before removing the surrounding pieces, and save the tiny cheek diamonds for last.
IntermediateTriangle Eyes and Six Diamonds
This elevated take on the traditional face pairs slanted triangle eyes topped with thin brow slits, a triangle nose, and a deep zigzag grin, then adds three small diamond cutouts on each cheek for extra sparkle. Every element is pierced through the wall. The brow slits and little diamonds are what push it to medium; cut the big shapes first, then handle each diamond with a narrow saw, working point to point so they stay crisp.
Beginner-friendlySplit-Nose Zigzag Frown
A classic angry jack-o'-lantern face with two sharp slanted eyes, a split two-part nose, and a jagged zigzag frown of pointed teeth. All five openings are cut straight through the wall, leaving the rest of the pumpkin untouched for maximum contrast. It is an easy pattern with only a handful of pieces, so take your time on the zigzag mouth and cut each tooth point cleanly before pushing the waste piece out.
IntermediateHeavy-Brow Angry Face
This scowling jack-o'-lantern glares out through heavy slanted brows, a small triangle nose, and a snarling mouth ringed with sharp fangs top and bottom. Every feature is a pierced opening, leaving thick pumpkin wall between the angry eyes and the jagged mouth for strength. At medium difficulty the narrow inner brow points are the fragile spots, so cut the eyes from the center outward and save the thin corners for last.
AdvancedLeering Eyes and Crooked Nose
Slanted leering eyes with attached round pupils glare above a crooked off-center nose and a jagged sneer packed with pointed fangs, while scattered diamond scars glint across both cheeks. The eyes, nose, mouth, and diamonds are pierced with pupils and fang points left as shell. The hard part is the web of narrow fangs; cut each tooth gap from tip to base and never twist the blade mid-cut.
IntermediateUnequal Eyes and Six Slashes
A menacing sneer built from two uneven glaring eyes, a small skull-like nose, a crooked mouth of jagged teeth, and three claw-slash marks raking each side of the face. All shapes pierce through, and the mismatched features do the intimidating. A medium carve; cut the six narrow slashes first with single confident strokes, then work the mouth teeth before opening the larger eye shapes.