Similar to This
View all stencils →About this stencil
A round cartoon dragon chick with large round eyes, stubby clawed feet, and a toothy grin fills this hard dragon pumpkin stencil, its body encircled by a looping scaly tail. The large circular body void and the face features are pierced through, while the narrow tail arc and the skin between the eyes form the connecting bridges. Cut the small interior eye and teeth details before opening up the large body circle, so those tiny islands are still supported by the surrounding wall. 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
- Transfer the stencil and identify the eye circles and grin gaps as floating interior islands.
- Carve both round eye cutouts first while the body wall is fully intact.
- Remove the grin gap pieces next, using a narrow blade for the tooth-edge definition.
- Cut the claw voids on each foot before opening up the body.
- Remove the large circular body void in sections, preserving the tail-arc bridge that runs beneath the body.
- Set a candle at a low angle inside so the round eyes glow prominently at face level.
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.
View on Amazon ↗
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
Carvers who liked this one also downloaded these.
AdvancedBaby Dragon Pumpkin Stencil
A round-bodied baby dragon with oversized round eyes, stumpy clawed feet, and membrane wings spread to each side crouches in a compact, almost circular composition. The eyes are large pierced circles, the wings are open negative-space shapes with thin bony rib lines left intact, and small spiky horns crown the head. Lit from within, the glowing eyes become the focal point while the wing membranes glow warmly around the solid orange ribs. Carve the large eye circles first so you can verify the round cuts are centered before committing to the surrounding detail cuts.
Expert / ProMoonlit Seal and Water Bands
A harbor seal rests on the shore with its head raised and tail curled up, backed by a huge full moon, drifting clouds, and bands of rippling water below. The entire scene is skin-shaved shading with no pierced holes, so the moon glows brightest behind the seal's darker sculpted body. Expert carvers should establish the moon's deep, even shave first, then build the seal with shallower graded layers so its whiskered face keeps crisp contrast.
IntermediateFan Tail Fish with Low Notches
A plump fantail goldfish glides across the pumpkin as one big glowing silhouette, with a rounded body, sweeping double tail, and small notched fins along the belly. The entire fish is pierced through in a single connected shape, so it lights up like an aquarium at night. At medium difficulty the low fin notches are the detail work; cut the broad body and tail first, then nick out the small fin points with short careful strokes.
IntermediateSeated Rabbit with Split Ears
A seated rabbit in profile with two tall split ears, a rounded back, and tucked front paws, cut through as a nearly single silhouette with slim gaps defining the ears and feet. The shell around the bunny stays whole so the glowing shape reads crisply from a distance. Carve the narrow gap between the ears first; it is the finest cut on an otherwise smooth outline.
IntermediateCurled Dolphin Profile
A leaping dolphin caught mid-arc, its curved body, pointed snout, dorsal fin, and sweeping tail all glowing through one sculpted cut-through opening, with an intact rind island shaping the pectoral fin and belly. The interior island is the key feature: cut the outer outline in sections and leave the connecting bridges to the island untouched until the very end, then trim them carefully to final width.
Beginner-friendlyLong Dog, Bone and Four Ovals
A long-bodied dachshund trots across the pumpkin as one big glowing silhouette, with a dog bone floating above and a row of four oval accents below like little paw steps. The dog, bone, and ovals are all pierced through, so the whole scene lights up brightly with just a handful of cuts. Start with a hole in the dog's belly and saw outward, taking the thin legs and tail slowly so they stay crisp.