Thread: New Memember, Foam Pumpkin carves

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I just found this site as I was doing a search for Fog Machine recommendations. I joined since I really do enjoy alot of the stuff that goes along with Halloween.

This being the case, I figured I'd show some pics of some of my past carves. I've been carving pumpkins since around 2005 when I started with basic 'cut outs' on real pumpkins. When I decided that I wanted to carve more elaborate stuff and be able to have them last forever, I switched to Michael's Foam pumpkins and carving them using a Dremel. Now, I can work on them year around and I really enjoy it. I did see a link somewhere in here to where I get the majority of the patterns I carve, though I am working towards being able to produce my own original patterns that I then carve on the pumpkins.

Anyway, for anyone interested here are a few. I also will link a short 3+minute movie I made of all of my carves starting in 2006 till last year. Currently I have 12-14 I've carved thus far this year and am hoping to finish another 6-10. None of my latest carves are in the movie. I will make another one when I get finished and the season is over. The typical carve takes me around 6+ hours, but the end results are worth it for me.

These are in the movie, but I thought I'd show a few examples. I think the movie contains around 50 images of my carves thus far. The first two years I was still carving real pumpkins, but got very tired of them rotting away after all the marathon carving the day before and of Halloween. Starting in 2008, I switched to fake foam pumpkins and I believe the detail and quality of my carves went up dramatically. See for yourself.








Youtube movie link showing the past four years is here:


Andretti

Those look awesome! Nice work!

Fantastic work. I wish I could draw and carve like that. Keep up the good work and welcome.

Very nicely done. Impressive detail work.

Impressive! Have fun doing more

Beautiful works of art. When you run out of storage room you can send one to me!

awesome!

WoW! Loved your artwork. Veddy impressive and so detailed. My favorite was Mt. Rushmore with the classic monsters.

Welcome to the forum

I'm your huckleberry! Awesome pumpkin carving for an awesome movie! Love all your pumpkins.. really awesome! I've never tried to carve the foam pumpkins, but I was under the impression that you wouldn't be able to carve into the foam and have it shine through! Looks like you have open cuts and parts that have been carved down, but still have some thin layer of foam! I have to try that!

Originally Posted by beavervw

I'm your huckleberry! Awesome pumpkin carving for an awesome movie! Love all your pumpkins.. really awesome! I've never tried to carve the foam pumpkins, but I was under the impression that you wouldn't be able to carve into the foam and have it shine through! Looks like you have open cuts and parts that have been carved down, but still have some thin layer of foam! I have to try that!

Yeah, its actually works out quite well. Its basically a three colored pattern/carve. One color is the untouched part of the pumpkin (painted), then the shaded part where the paint and part of the foam is removed, then the third where it is entirely cut out. I've messed around with four color carves too, but three really does get the job done.

I highly encourage you to look into this. If your already using a dremel making props your already halfway there, since getting use to using a dremel is part of the battle to create a good pumpkin carve. If your even remotely interested, give a look over at http://www.stoneykins.com. I've been a member over there since he created the site a few years ago and I kid you not...he's got the best patterns (by FAR) out there and available on the net. He has patterns that work on real pumpkins as well as the foam ones (and straight cut out patterns to extremely detailed shaded ones too). He really tries to cover all the bases.

If you have any questions and are thinking you'd like to give it a try please feel free to pm me or ask away here.

Thanks much for the compliments!! Tombstone is one of my ALLTIME favorites.

Andretti