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View all stencils →About this stencil
A big thumbs-up hand surrounded by six radiating burst lines, like a glowing seal of approval for every trick-or-treater. The hand itself is sculpted in relief with shaved shading across the knuckles and thumb, while the outline gap and ray lines are carved deeper so light halos the whole gesture. Rough in the hand shape shallow at first, then deepen the shadows between the fingers gradually to keep the knuckles reading clearly. 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
- 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 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.
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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
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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IntermediatePlain Thumbs Up Relief
The classic thumbs-up hand, thumb raised high over four curled fingers, presented as a bold etched panel on the pumpkin's face. No holes are pierced; you shave the outer skin inside the hand outline so the pale flesh forms the gesture, leaving thin rind lines to separate the fingers. Keep the shaved depth even and stop at each finger line so the knuckle ridges stay dark and readable.
Expert / ProThumbs Up with a Burst
A giant thumbs-up hand bursting from a starburst of radiating lines, complete with a rolled sleeve cuff, four curled fingers, and a proudly raised thumb. The whole emblem is continuous-wall relief carving, sculpted in layered depths with no cut-through openings, so the hand looks almost three-dimensional. This expert design depends on smooth rounded knuckles: rough out the fist as one mass, then separate the fingers with deep V-grooves before final smoothing.
AdvancedTilted Laugh with Two Tears
This tilted laughing face leans hard to one side, with two squinted arrow eyes, a huge open grin, and a teardrop of joy flying off each corner. All the features cut fully through, and the diagonal tilt is what makes it read as the crying-laughing emoji everyone knows. It rates hard because the squint lines and tear droplets are small, so use a fine saw and drill-start each tiny opening before cutting.
IntermediateLovestruck Heart Eyes Face
This lovestruck face beams with two big heart-shaped eyes under curved brows, a wide open smile showing three square teeth, and playful dot dimples on each cheek. All the features are cut through the wall, so the hearts glow brightest and instantly read as the classic heart-eyes expression. Cut the notch at the top of each heart carefully with short strokes, since that little dip is what makes the shape.
Beginner-friendlyCrescent Wink and Two Teeth
A playful winking face with one big round open eye, one crescent-shaped winking eye, and a broad open smile showing two square teeth. All the features are simple pierced openings with plenty of solid pumpkin between them, so the face is sturdy and beginner friendly. For this easy carve, cut the large smile first while the wall is strongest, then finish with the crescent wink, angling your blade slightly outward for a clean curve.
Beginner-friendlyFive-Point Star Eyes and Smile
A star-struck emoji face with two big five-point stars for eyes and a broad crescent smile beneath them. All three shapes are pierced completely through, so the stars and grin beam like the real starry-eyed emoji. It is an easy carve overall, with the star points as the only fiddly spots; poke a pilot hole in the center of each star and cut outward toward every point.