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The RIP Tombstone pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A classic Halloween tombstone with a pointed arch and pedestal base fills this pumpkin stencil, its face engraved with a melting ghost figure and the letters R.I.P. The ghost's hollow round eyes and the R.I.P. text are pierced-through openings against the solid tombstone body, which itself is surrounded by a large cut-out arch that glows around the stone's perimeter when lit. Cut the small letter periods and the ghost's eye dots before opening the large arch surround, so the isolated letter islands stay stable while the surrounding wall is still full. It makes a fun jack-o'-lantern design for Halloween night. 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
- Pin-transfer all lines, paying attention to the small letter-period dots and the ghost's tiny eye openings inside the stone face.
- Cut the two eye dots on the ghost and the three R.I.P. punctuation dots first; these are the smallest, most isolated pieces.
- Carve the hollow letters R, I, and P, cutting each letter as a continuous shape.
- Open the melting drip channels beneath the ghost figure.
- Cut the large arch opening that surrounds the tombstone outline, working around the perimeter in one smooth pass.
- Finish with the thin horizontal base slab at the bottom of the pedestal.
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 moonlit cemetery scene: a huge glowing full moon fills the background while three headstones stand in silhouette, the tall center marker lettered RIP and flanked by two cross-topped stones rising from tufts of grass. The moon area is cut through and the graves are the pumpkin left in place. This is a hard pattern, so cut the big moon opening in several smaller sections to avoid snapping the thin grass blades along the bottom.
AdvancedRIP Graveyard Pumpkin Stencil
A moonlit graveyard scene arches across this pumpkin stencil, with a large cracked tombstone bearing the letters RIP at center, flanked by two cross-topped stones and tufts of grave grass below, all framed inside a curved arch at the top. The composition is pierced so the entire scene cuts away from the pumpkin wall and glows as one large backlit picture. Cut the letter shapes inside RIP first with a detail blade, then work outward through the tombstone cracks, cross details, and grass tufts before removing the large arch framing area last.
AdvancedTombstone with Ghost Pumpkin Stencil
A weathered tombstone with a cross relief, set inside a crumbling rectangular frame with broken corners, forms the centerpiece of this pumpkin stencil. A wispy ghost flame rises from the lower left and a skeletal hand or root tendril emerges from the lower right. The cross and tombstone body stay solid while the frame edges, ghost flame curls, and surrounding areas are cut through. Cut the looping ghost-flame curls on the lower left before removing the wide rectangular frame opening, so those thin curving lines have maximum wall support.
Beginner-friendlyGraveyard Shift Pumpkin Stencil
A miniature midnight cemetery: three rounded tombstones of different heights glow along the bottom while a crescent moon and a scatter of small round stars shine above them. Every element is a simple cut-through, and the plain shapes make the scene read clearly from across the street. It is an easy carve; drill the little star dots first while the wall is still solid, then saw out the tombstones and moon.
AdvancedLittle Boo Pumpkin Stencil
A wide-eyed little ghost with curled hands and a wavy hem floats in front of a big round glow, its startled O-shaped mouth mid-boo. The circular background is cut through around the ghost, so the figure stays as connected rind while light floods the disc behind it. Those slim connector bridges at the hands and hem are the whole design; cut the large background sections first and save every bridge for careful final passes.
AdvancedThe Wailing Howl Pumpkin Stencil
Two drooping, hooked eyes sag toward a small nose and an enormous lopsided open mouth, giving this face a wailing, ghostly howl. Every feature is pierced through, and the curled inner tips of the eyes are what sell the melting expression. This is a harder carve because the eye hooks and the long mouth curve leave narrow bridges of pumpkin, so cut those thin sections last and support the wall with your free hand.