Thursday, October 28, 2010

How To Make A Jack O' Lantern

Ok gang in past posts I've showed you Jack O' Jantern designs. Today I'm gonna tell you step by step how to make one. :D


How to select a Pumpkin:
1. Consider size. The pumpkin should be big enough to carve eyes, nose and a mouth on.


2. Tap the pumpkin. If it isn't entirely solid, it's rotting. Choose a dry pumpkin with a hard shell.


3. Look at the shape of the pumpkin. Do you want a moon-faced or a tall, thin one?

4. Wash the dirt off.

5. Find the best side. Turn it around to see which side will make the best Jack o' Lantern face.

Carving the Pumpkin:
1. Mark the features on the pumpkin using a pen or pencil. Draw them slightly smaller then you want them to be.

2. Cut the top off. Put the knife or carving tool all the way through the shell into the pumpkin. Saw a clean circle around the stem and lift off. Angle the cutting tool slightly towards the center of the pumpkin to provide a lip for the top to sit on when you're done.

3. Clean the pumpkin. Discard the seeds and sticky interior. Make sure the inside of the face area is free of clinging tissue.

4. Cut the face. For each feature, push the knife or carving tool through, then cut on the line until the piece comes out. 

5. Clear away the rough edges.


Protips: 1. Cheap Carving Tools can be found at your local Grocery store or Wal-mart.
            2. You can smear the inside of your Jack o' Lantern with Vaseline to keep it from 
               dehydrating and molding.


32 comments:

  1. Great tips! I'll definitely be carving a pumpkin this year :D

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  2. great post usefull info i wanted a fuckin jack o'lantern but how many time u can use it first of it to rot?

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  3. I've noticed that some people take a cheap plastic cup, fill it halfway with water and add a lot of sugar, then put it next to the pumpkin outside. i think this is to stop flies and other bugs from eating the pumpkin!

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  4. Great info, this is going to help me alot :D!

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  5. haha wooo! i know how to make one now :D :D cheers dude

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  6. I've never actually carved a pumpkin. Maybe next year :-)

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  7. grat post usufull shit. i hoe i wont find shit in my pumpkin

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  8. Great tips! I'll have to try out the vaseline thing!

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  9. Great tips! Mine always look pretty terrible in my opinion.

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  10. Hmm. I have never carved a pumpkin.

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  11. I thought you were supposed to use explosives to make one

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  12. ill try it, have never before! tnx for sharing :D

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  13. Good tip about the vaseline.

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  14. I've always wondered why they were called "jack'o'lanterns".

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  15. I've never heard of the Vaseline part, I'll have to do that this year!

    Will plain old kitchen knives do the trick, or would I have to get smaller cutting tools?

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  16. Step 6) Smash pumpkin in frustration because it didn't turn out well at all.

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  17. Have you seen the Death Star jackolantern?

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  18. Thanks sooo much! but can somebody tell me why is it called Jack? xD

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  19. I've heard tips about not cutting all the way through, but rather just scraping away the top layer of the skin in some places. It results in a cool glow effect. It's easy to make shadows and stuff with it.

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  20. I never bothered with Jack O' lanterns, too lazy lol

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  21. Smearing vaseline around inside an already strange and slimy pumpkin interior does not sound pleasant.

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  22. cool tips thanks for the help this holiday season ^.^

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  23. How to penetrate a jakc o lanternt

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  24. I like a friend of mines...it involved explosives.

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  25. haha, thanks for the tips breh.

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  26. gonna try this out this weekend!

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  27. Shame we stopped picking pumpkins. Just got annoying after awhile. Some of these tips I wasn't aware of though!

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  28. Awesome tips! I've always sucked at carving haha. though I also didn't try using vasaline.

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