Halloween seems to stir the creative blood of many artists. And what better way to express oneself than through the bewitching art of pumpkin carving.Jack-o’-Lanterns are the most common examples of pumpkin craft, but the practice of carving vegetables into whimsical works of art goes back several centuries. And in recent years, artists began expressing every kind of idea they could imagine on pumpkins.
Basically, all you need to carve a decent Jack-o’-Lantern is a knife and a spoon. But for “museum quality” Jack-o’-Lanterns, experts often resort to narrow saw blades, X-acto blades, drills, blinking lights, smoke, eerie music and more.
Use a pencil or Pentel to draw a Halloween face on your pumpkin, scoop out the pulp, and carve away. Go traditional, with a big, goofy grin and triangles for the eyes and nose. Or you can go creative with your own original design.
Be sure to explore the works of those artists who take pumpkin carving to comic and creepy extremes. Note that a key element in your creation can be the overall shape of the pumpkin you choose. While beginners might choose symmetrical pumpkins, a true Pumpkin Picasso will seek out the more grotesque, misshapen and blemished specimens.
Today, it is common to see pumpkin portraits of political candidates, celebrities and cartoon characters.
Send us photos of your carved pumpkins and we’ll post them here on BINDERS ART BLOG in time for Halloween. You’ll be certified spooky before you can say “Boo!”
Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!
