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This free BOOO Starburst pumpkin stencil is a printable PDF pattern you can print at home, tape to your pumpkin, and trace. A comic-book explosion pumpkin stencil spelling BOOO in large rounded block letters set inside a starburst burst shape, with spiky radiating points around the outside, scattered small five-pointed stars, and two short speed-line slashes shooting upward from the top. The burst background is carved through around the letters, making the BOOO lettering read as solid orange against a glowing field of light. Carve the jagged spike points of the burst last, working from the base of each spike outward to avoid snapping the sharp tips. Use it as a carving template for your Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It is rated Advanced. Estimated time: 90-150 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
This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 90-150 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Open the letter counters first. Cut the two small rounded openings inside the B and the gray crescent inside each of the three O's. These tiny interior pieces are easiest to remove while the surrounding wall is still rigid.
- Cut the stars and speed lines. Remove the three small five-pointed stars and the two tapered slashes shooting up from the top of the burst. Work each star point from the tip toward the center; never twist the saw at a point.
- Cut the loose burst fragments. Remove the detached spiky slivers around the design, including the curved chevron on the right side and the sweeping crescent below the letters. Cut each thin taper from its wide base out to the tip.
- Clear the burst field in sections. Cut the large gray burst background around the BOOO letters a section at a time, hugging the white letter outlines without cutting across them. Work each jagged spike from its base outward so the sharp tips do not snap.
- Release the last section on a tab. Leave a short tab attached on the final large section of the burst, support the plug with your free hand, then make the last cut and push the piece out gently from inside.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
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.
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.
View on Amazon ↗
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