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A fleshed-out T-rex stands upright in this dinosaur pumpkin stencil, with a large skull showing serrated teeth, tiny forelimbs with claw tips, a muscular body, and thick hind legs with three-toed feet rendered as solid orange pumpkin wall. The spaces between and around the figure are cut through, so the lit jack-o-lantern silhouettes the dinosaur in warm orange against a glowing background. Cut the narrow gaps between the forelimb claws and the small toe gaps first before opening any of the large surrounding sections, as those tight details are easier to control while the wall is fully rigid. 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 all skeleton lines with a pin tool before removing the stencil paper.
- Cut the narrow gaps between the forelimb claw fingers first, using a narrow blade.
- Remove the tooth shapes inside the open jaw, working tip to base on each triangular tooth.
- Cut the small toe-gap details on the hind feet.
- Open the large background sections around the torso and tail, leaving the lower leg wall for last.
- Cut between the legs and around the three-toed feet to complete the lower body, then light from behind to reveal the full dinosaur silhouette.
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.
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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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Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
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IntermediateOpen-Jawed T-Rex
An open-jawed T-Rex strides across the pumpkin in full profile, tiny arms forward and thick tail sweeping behind. The entire dinosaur is a shaded silhouette: shave away the skin inside the body so the shape shows as a lighter panel against the orange rind, with no pierced holes. At medium difficulty, outline the jaws, claws, and tail tip carefully first, since those narrow points define the whole silhouette when the sun or candle hits it.
IntermediateRunning Dinosaur and Long Tail
A velociraptor sprints across the pumpkin in full silhouette, head low, clawed legs mid-stride, and its long tail sweeping behind for balance. The entire dinosaur cuts through as one glowing shape, with the narrow tail and slim legs providing the medium challenge. Carve the thin tail and leg sections first in short segments, then remove the large body last so the delicate extremities are never left unsupported.
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.
IntermediateTall Dino and Three Leaves
A long-necked brachiosaurus stretches up toward three tropical leaves floating above it, its full body cut through as one flowing silhouette from tail tip to tiny head. The leaves are separate cutouts with notched edges that add extra glow around the dino's snack. Cut the leaves first for practice, then work the dinosaur from the tail forward, saving the slender neck for careful final strokes.
Beginner-friendlyLong-Neck Dinosaur
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.