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View all stencils →About this stencil
This free Apex Stare T. Rex pumpkin stencil is a printable PDF pattern you can print at home, tape to your pumpkin, and trace. A close-up Tyrannosaurus portrait with an intense gaze. Use a two-depth shading map to carve a dramatic dinosaur portrait into your pumpkin. Use it as a carving template for your Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It is rated Advanced. Estimated time: 120 minutes. 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
Print both pages at 100% / Actual Size and check the one-inch ruler. The artwork box is 7 x 7 inches.
Carving key
White / K: leave skin and flesh intact. Light gray / 1: shallow scrape for a softer glow. Dark gray / 2: deeper scrape for brighter light. Never cut through. These are relative depth levels, not millimeters.
1. Lay in the skull
Shallow-scrape the light-gray forehead, snout and neck planes. Retain the white forehead streaks and cheek highlights.
2. Focus the stare
Deepen the dark eye socket and nostril carefully. Leave the small white eye highlight and curved brow boundary intact.
3. Shape the jaw
Deepen the dark mouth and cheek planes. Keep every white tooth untouched; this is shaded carving, so no tooth needs a cut-through bridge.
4. Finish the neck shadows
Work the dark neck bands in light passes. Compare with an LED and stop before any surface breaks through.
Previews are simulated. This design has not been physically test-carved. Brightness depends on remaining wall thickness.
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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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