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View all stencils →About this stencil
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. This design is rated Advanced and takes most carvers around 150 minutes from trace to glow. Multi-layer cuts with skin-peel shading. Plan your cuts first.
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 advanced carve like this you'll want a linoleum cutter set, x-acto knife, peel tool, and pin transfer wheel. 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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IntermediateAngry Sawtooth Grin
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.
IntermediateAngled Eyes and Seven Fangs
Two sharply slanted triangle eyes glare above a wide jagged mouth lined with seven pointed fangs, giving this face a classic menacing snarl. Every element is cut fully through, and the zigzag mouth does most of the work, so accuracy there pays off. Cut each tooth as two separate straight strokes meeting at the point instead of dragging the saw around the corner, and the grin stays razor sharp.
IntermediateSix-Slot Grin and Cheek Slits
Two arched, angry eyes glower above a huge crescent grin broken into a row of glowing tooth slots, with small slits flaring at each cheek. All the features are pierced through the wall, and the strips of rind left between the tooth openings become the dark teeth of the smile. Cut the mouth slots from the center outward and leave the narrow rind bridges at full thickness so the grin holds its shape.
Beginner-friendlySlanted Eyes and Twin Fangs
A sinister face with narrow slanted eyes, a slim angled nose, and a wide sneering mouth bristling with pointed fangs top and bottom. Eyes, nose, and mouth are pierced clean through, with the fang shapes left as solid teeth jutting into the glowing opening. Even though it rates easy, the fang tips are fragile; cut each tooth from base to point and let the waste fall away instead of pulling it free.
AdvancedHeavy Brows and Stitched Smile
Sharp slanted eyes glare from under heavy brows above a narrow triangle nose and a long menacing grin lined with thin vertical teeth. The eyes, nose, and mouth are cut through, and the row of skinny tooth bridges is what earns the hard rating. Cut the mouth outline first, then remove the gaps between teeth one at a time so the fragile strips never take sideways pressure.
IntermediateSwept Eyes and Melting Grin
A wicked jack-o'-lantern with two swept, flame-like eyes, a small notched nose, and an enormous melting grin whose edges drip and ripple across the lower half of the pumpkin. All features are pierced through, and the wavy mouth throws dramatic, uneven light. This is medium work with one long tricky opening, so carve the mouth in sections from the center out and leave the drippy lower points attached until the very end for support.