Similar to This
View all stencils →About this stencil
A friendly long-necked sauropod stands in profile, its arched neck, rounded body, four legs, and tapering tail all glowing as one connected silhouette. Because the entire dinosaur comes out as a single cutout, there are no interior pieces to manage, keeping this an easy favorite for dino-loving kids. Take your time on the skinny neck and tail; saw with gentle strokes and keep a hand braced inside the pumpkin so the narrow curves cut clean. This design is rated Beginner-friendly and takes most carvers around 30 minutes from trace to glow. Great for kids and first-timers. Big shapes, short cuts.
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 beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. 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.
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.
Beginner-friendlySeated Dog with Bone and Dots
A patient pup sits in profile, ears perked and tail resting, while a bone floats nearby with a trail of small dream-bubble dots connecting them. The dog's body, the bone, and the dots are all cut fully through as bold, separate openings, so the scene reads instantly from the street. This easy design has no fragile interior bridges; just cut the large dog body in two or three sections and pop the bone and dots out last for a tidy finish.
IntermediateThree-Horn Dino and Tall Frill
A friendly triceratops in full profile, cut through as one connected silhouette with its tall neck frill, three horns, sturdy legs, and thick tail all glowing. The single-opening design keeps things straightforward despite the detailed outline. The horns and the gaps between the legs are the trickiest spots; drill small relief holes at each tight corner so your saw can turn without tearing the rind.
Beginner-friendlyCurved-Neck Dino and Left Tail
A gentle brachiosaurus in full-body silhouette, its long neck curving up to a small head while a thick tail sweeps out behind sturdy rounded legs. The whole dinosaur is cut through as one connected opening, so the friendly giant glows edge to edge. An easy favorite for dino-loving kids; start cutting at the wide belly and work outward so the slender neck is supported until the very end.
IntermediateSide-View Penguin
A plump penguin stands in profile with its beak raised, and the design is built entirely from skin shading rather than pierced cuts. You shave away the rind across the penguin's white belly and face for a bright glow, leave the darker back and flipper as untouched skin, and etch a fine outline around the whole bird. For this medium etch, remove the belly in shallow, even layers and stop as soon as light glows through at test lighting.
IntermediateFloppy-Eared Labrador Muzzle
A lovable Labrador face with two glowing floppy ears, round eyes, a rounded triangle nose, and an open smiling muzzle beneath. The big ear panels and the mouth cut fully through, while narrow skin bridges separate the nose from the jowl lines. A medium carve thanks to those bridges; cut the small eye and nose openings before the large ears so the face area keeps its strength while you work.