How To Carve Cartoon Character Pumpkins

When I was little we always carved pumpkins.  I wanted special glowing pumpkins to light up our porch.  Luckily Dad has always been rather talented at drawing and other artistic endeavors.  I also distinctly remember he could color incredible well.  Maybe we should pick up some coloring books!  Dad’s untapped talent meant he was up for the pumpkin carving challenge.

Of course, I didn’t want any ordinary jack-o-lanterns.  I wanted my favorite cartoon characters carved into giant squash.  Dad did not disappoint, creating characters ranging from Mickey Mouse to Winnie the Pooh to Pikachu.  Clearly I’m dating myself here!  As I grew older, the tradition faded away.

But it was resurrected this year and I so wish it had never gone away.  The pumpkins are adorable.  And the good news is, it’s easy to carve your own cartoon character pumpkins!

First, you have to choose characters.  This year, I chose Hello Kitty and Dory from Finding Nemo.  I printed pictures from the Internet which Dad then drew simplified, pumpkin friendly versions of.  You could probably print big versions of pictures and use those, if you’re more like me than Dad and aren’t very crafty.

Then it’s time to cut the top off the pumpkin and clean out all the pumpkin guts and seeds.  Save the seeds, clean them off, and roast them for a yummy post-carving treat!  You’ll deserve it, as it is a bit of a workout carving into those thick pumpkins.

Then you can either tape the picture to the pumpkin or if you’re as talented as Dad you can draw a version of it directly on the pumpkin.  If you tape the picture on you’ll need to use the special tool in your pumpkin carving kit to create an imprint in the pumpkin.

Then it’s time for carving.  Follow the lines and carve out pieces.  Just make sure to be strategic so the pumpkin doesn’t break or cave in on itself.  Once the carving is done, place a candle, preferably flameless for safety reasons, inside the pumpkin and stand back and admire your work.  This is a really fun tradition to start.  I’m already planning next year!