Carve This Spooky Frankenstein Pumpkin for Halloween

Sarah Martens
·2 min read

With no etching required and an abundance of easy-to-carve angles, Frankenstein's face is a great project for novice pumpkin carvers who want to sharpen their skills. Just make sure your tools are equally sharp! We recommend using a specialty pumpkin-carving knife, often sold in Halloween supply stores. Look for a thin, serrated knife designed to maneuver in tight spaces. A thin kitchen knife will work, too. We'll show you how to carve your own spooky Halloween pumpkin in just three simple steps. Add this oddly-charming character to your Halloween decor by downloading our free stencil and grabbing your tools!

Carson Downing

How to Create a Frankenstein Halloween Pumpkin

Supplies Needed

  • Pumpkin, fresh or artificial

  • Serrated pumpkin carving knife

  • Metal scoop

  • Tape

  • Printed free pumpkin stencil

  • Pin tool

  • Battery-operated tea light candle

Step-by-Step Directions

With a few supplies and these how-to instructions, you can create your own carved pumpkin. Try using our free pumpkin carving stencil on an artificial pumpkin to create a lasting Halloween decoration.

Step 1: Prepare Pumpkin

You can scale the printable stencil to fit any size pumpkin but we chose a pumpkin that was approximately 12 inches tall. Gut your pumpkin by cutting a circle on its underside and prying the circle out. Use a metal scoop (or your hands) to remove the pumpkin innards.

Related: How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Step 2: Outline Stencil

Tape your Frankenstein Face stencil to the pumpkin's exterior, smoothing down the paper as you tape. Use a large nail or pushpin to prick along the stencil lines into the pumpkin's surface. Keep prick marks close together.

Step 3: Carve Pumpkin

Detach your stencil and use a specialty pumpkin-carving knife or your thin kitchen knife to carve the design. (Hint: For greater carving stability, leave cutout pieces in place until you've carved around all sections.) Pop cutout pieces outward by pressing on them with your fingers from the pumpkin's interior. Light your Frankenstein pumpkin with a battery-operated tea light candle ($26 for 6, The Home Depot).