Here's mine.


Here's what I took it from.

 

damn skills

 

This was from '05

 

nice work! im too damn lazy to carve pumpkins

 

takes like, 2 hrs tops, gutting, cutting, and a bit of final touches.

 

What do you use to carve them? I've never found a particulary good instrument for doing the fine detailed cuts.

 

heh, funny you should ask...

In the past I've used a sabre saw, drill bits, a dremel...

I went the traditional route this year, and only used a small serrated kitchen knife and a spoon. Only the headlights go all the way thru the pumpkin, its just easier this way rather than carve all the way thru and end up with a flimsy gourd. Makes the final cuts a PITA that way. I cut no more than a 1/4" into the flesh to make my lines, and then slide the knife under at an angle to cut the skin away. If a spot is wide enough, once I get the skin peeled up, I'll carve in with a spoon to thin it out so it looks brighter. If its not wide enough, I'll do it from the inside just in the spot I need.
Some sort of light inside while you're working is a big help to make sure the lighting will be good, also gives a better idea of what you're working for.
I'll admit, there were times I had to sit back and ask myself WTF I was doing, because I had no idea what I was trying to carve w/o the light there. As soon as it was lit it stood right out.

I guess I can reveal my secret as to how I get the light/dark spots as well. Unless you're a true artist who can just see this stuff (I'm not), you'll be disappointed at your results.

This:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/images/20.../0406191lg.jpg
Turned to this:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...tungTT/R10.jpg
I convert the pic to grayscale, and then play with the brightness/contrast until it looks decent.

Thats my guide as to what should be light, and what should be dark. I still added my own touches here and there (theres no sign of a rear spoiler on my guide, I had to add that). Looks curvy in the pic, but wasn't as I carved it..

If your photoshop skills are decent, you could probably make a useable template and just trace out your design on the pumpkin, but mine are not, and that pic is vague, so I still freehand sketch what I want to see as the finished carving.

Keep your stupid dog away though, or you'll do it twice. Penny (doofus as I call her) came over and licked all the marker off my pumpkin when i wasn't looking. I had to start from scratch. Stupid dog....

 

THanks for the info, I'd not thought of carving not going all the way through. Makes it easier, the dremel idea for that type of work would be perfect. I'll have to give it a try sometime. Great work.

 

One issue with the dremel, its not like metal or wood with shavings coming off, its mush, so sorta like a tattoo, you have to work a little, wipe a little, and so on.