| Pumpkin Luminaries and Bas Relief Pumpkin |
From "DIY Halloween"
episode DHA-101 |
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Download the pattern/template for the featured "bas relief" pumpkin design.
The difference between carving and sculpting is that you when you carve you actually hollow the pumpkin out and work through the skin into the interior of the pumpkin so you can release light from inside. When you sculpt, you just take a portion of the surface of the skin off and that exposes some other color. Materials for Pumpkin Luminaries: Pumpkins in various sizes
Serrated knife
Spoon or melon baler
Linoleum carving tool
Black marker
Design
Carbon paper or graphite pencil
Glass votive holders and votive candles - Cut the top out of the pumpkin with a serrated knife and scoop out the seeds and fiber from the inside. (The seeds can be saved for your own pumpkin patch next year, or baked for a snack.)
- For a checkerboard design, draw an even number of vertical lines down the sides of the pumpkin from the stem to the base, using the natural lines provided by the pumpkin.
- Draw four or more horizontal lines around the pumpkin (figure A). The result will remind you of a globe, with latitude and longitudes marked.
- Use the linoleum cutter (figure B) to carve out alternate squares. Be sure to carve each square with cuts in the same direction -- horizontally or vertically. The resulting smooth skin and the relief-carved areas will be different colors and textures.
- For lighting, remove the lid and place a lit votive inside.
- For a "holes & spirals" design, the holes are made by pushing the carving tool deep into the surface of the pumpkin and giving it a twist (figure C). Create holes all over the pumpkin, including the lid. Some will be left as is, some will have bas-relief circles around them, and some will have spirals curling out from the hole.
- To create bas relief circles, first plan where you want them. Make the circles by drawing around a nickel or a quarter, and carve out the circle with the linoleum cutter.
- For the spiral curls, place the linoleum carver at the hole and rotate the pumpkin in a circle, carving out an ever-increasing spiral.
- Place a votive in the pumpkin.
Note: There must be sufficient oxygen for the candle to stay lit. If the candle wants to go out when the lid is on the pumpkin, you will need additional holes or a larger hole in the lid to increase airflow. Instructions for Bas Relief Pumpkin: - This pumpkin will not need to be cleaned out since it won't be lit from the inside.
- A good source of ideas is wood cut designs from the 1920's. One is included here. Enlarge or reduce the design until it is the right size for the pumpkin you are using.
- Pin the pattern onto the pumpkin and then trace it using carbon paper (figure D) or by making your own carbon by rubbing the back of the design with a graphite pencil and then tracing it.
- To make the design clearer, go over the traced lines with a black permanent marker (figure E). This is a good time to mark where solid areas will be carved out.
- Using your linoleum cutter, carve away all the relief areas. Do all the outlines first and then go back and take out the big areas of color (figure F).
Products: Supplies are available from craft stores. Dover Publishing has books available in art and craft stores. These images are in the public domain and can be reproduced and enlarged as needed.
RESOURCES :
Halloween Pumpkins and Parties: 101 Spooktacular Ideas (Better Homes and Gardens)
Model: 0696214288
Author: Carol Field Dahlstrom, Editor
(July 2002 -- 1st Edition)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Meredith Books Corp.
Website: www.meredith.com
Pumpkin Decorating
Model: 0806958634
Author: Vicki L. Rhodes
(August 2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
GUESTS :
Cindy Smith
Mark's Garden
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