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Download the Great White Shark pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. A great white shark lunges in profile across this animal pumpkin stencil, jaws open to reveal a row of serrated teeth, a round dot eye, a prominent dorsal fin, a pair of pectoral fins mid-body, and a forked tail sweeping back to the right. The body interior is cut away in a large open section while the teeth, fins, and eye detail stay as solid bridges of pumpkin skin, letting candlelight define the shark's menacing outline from within. Cut the mouth and individual tooth points before opening the large body cavity so the head stays anchored while you work the fine detail. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. 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 stencil and begin with the open-jaw section, carefully cutting around each individual tooth point from base to tip.
- Cut the small circular eye dot next while the surrounding skin is fully supported.
- Pierce and remove the body cavity in two or three sections, working from the head toward the tail to keep your hand stable.
- Cut the dorsal fin gap and the pectoral fin separations last, as these thin bridges are easiest to control once the large cavity is clear.
- Brace the pumpkin on its side if the wide horizontal design does not face forward naturally on your pumpkin's flattest surface.
- Position a warm-white LED inside to let the serrated tooth edges cast distinct shadows against the glowing interior.
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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A whale shark glides across the pumpkin in full profile, its wide flat head, tall tail fin, and back covered in the species' signature spots and ridge lines. This is a shading design with no pierced holes: you shave the skin inside the body while leaving orange skin for the spots, gill slits, and stripes. Shave the large body sections to an even depth first, then re-crisp the spot edges with a detail knife.
AdvancedSpotted Whale Shark
A whale shark glides across the pumpkin, its wide flat head, tall tail fin, and body covered in the species' signature grid of pale spots, with a few bubbles drifting nearby. The shark's outline and spots are shaved to glow while the surrounding skin stays dark, so no section is pierced through. Do the long body outline first, then the spots; a small round scoop or melon-baller keeps all those dots consistent.
AdvancedDeep Sea Sculpt Pumpkin Stencil
A sculptural hammerhead shark carved in raised relief, with the background cleared away so the body, fins, and curved tail stand proud of the wall in layered depths. Fin edges, the mouth line, and gill grooves are incised for realistic detail while nothing pierces through. Rough out the background to one even depth before shaping the shark itself, and keep at least half the wall thickness so the raised body stays sturdy.
IntermediateReef Prowler Pumpkin Stencil
A left-facing hammerhead shark in full profile, wide head, tall dorsal fin, and swept tail, finished with three short gill slashes behind the head. The whole body is a shaded shape: you peel the skin inside the outline down to pale flesh and leave the pumpkin wall intact. Shave with the grain in long horizontal strokes to keep the body smooth, then deepen the gill lines and eye dot last for contrast.
Beginner-friendlyCruising Hammerhead Pumpkin Stencil
A hammerhead shark cruising in full profile, its wide flattened head, tall dorsal fin, and forked tail all reading instantly in silhouette. The complete shark is one cut-through opening that stretches across the pumpkin's widest face for a dramatic glowing display. An easy carve with one caution: the slim notch between the tail forks is delicate, so cut it before removing the large body piece.
Beginner-friendlyTwo Sharks Pumpkin Stencil
Two sharks overlap in a dramatic diving composition for this easy pumpkin stencil: a large shark lunges forward with serrated teeth exposed, and a smaller shark curves below it. The negative space between the two bodies is cut away, leaving the sharks as solid orange pumpkin forms. The jagged row of teeth on the large shark is the most detailed edge in the design. Cut the teeth line with individual short plunge-cuts per tooth point rather than sawing along the jagged edge, which reduces the risk of tearing the tips.