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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 10:40:58 GMT -5
I've been sculpting pumpkins since I was in middle school. These are two of my Halloween creations for 2018. The first one was a donation to a local middle school. The "angry ape" will sit outside our house for the benefit of trick-or-treaters. I usually sculpt 5-8 pumpkins, three of which I donate. Two of those donations help raise money to support a Seattle a low income/assisted living community. The ape was based on an image that I found online:
Note where the stem is located below. The cheek blemish is actually the bottom of the pumpkin. This one has a prominent bulge on one side that enabled me to sculpt the protruding mouth and jaw. I never buy perfectly round pumpkins because they really limit what can be sculpted.
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Post by MsAli on Oct 30, 2018 10:47:26 GMT -5
I've been sculpting pumpkins since I was in middle school. These are two of my Halloween creations for 2018. The first one was a donation to a local middle school. The "angry ape" will sit outside our house for the benefit of trick-or-treaters. I usually sculpt 5-8 pumpkins, three of which I donate. Two of those donations help raise money to support a Seattle a low income/assisted living community. The ape was based on an image that I found online:
Note where the stem is located below. The cheek blemish is actually the bottom of the pumpkin. This one has a prominent bulge on one side that enabled me to sculpt the protruding mouth and jaw. I never buy perfectly round pumpkins because they really limit what can be sculpted.
 Those are so dang cool! |
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 30, 2018 10:58:13 GMT -5
Dude! Those are friggin' awesome! You have a super talent for them. Have you carved rock, too?
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Post by Garage Rocker on Oct 30, 2018 11:06:52 GMT -5
Very impressed. A little jealous, but impressed. I bet everyone gets a real kick out of those.
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Post by miket on Oct 30, 2018 11:18:48 GMT -5
Wow, great work! I always get a little jealous of you creative types  |
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Oct 30, 2018 11:25:29 GMT -5
So awesome! I was going to post my carvings but now I will pass |
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 11:36:56 GMT -5
Dude! Those are friggin' awesome! You have a super talent for them. Have you carved rock, too? Thank you. I haven't worked in rock. I do have a double-faced, curved green/blue opal that I'm occasionally working on. It will eventually be set in a pendant, but the fins and flukes will be metal. |
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 11:40:38 GMT -5
Very impressed. A little jealous, but impressed. I bet everyone gets a real kick out of those. Thanks. Yes, I have regulars who make a point of coming by the house on Halloween. A couple days ago a UPS driver came to the door with a package. No pumpkins were out, but before he left he said, "Hey, is this the house that has all those cool pumpkins?" |
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 11:44:01 GMT -5
So awesome! I was going to post my carvings but now I will pass
Thanks, but please do post them. We has a pumpkin sculpting party at our home on Sunday (our 8th annual) with about 16-18 people actually carving. Skills ranged from experienced to "How do I even begin?" Our house isn't that big. It took over the kitchen, dining, and living room areas.
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Post by vegasjames on Oct 30, 2018 11:44:32 GMT -5
Those are amazing.
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Oct 30, 2018 12:06:56 GMT -5
So awesome! I was going to post my carvings but now I will pass
Thanks, but please do post them. We has a pumpkin sculpting party at our home on Sunday (our 8th annual) with about 16-18 people actually carving. Skills ranged from experienced to "How do I even begin?" Our house isn't that big. It took over the kitchen, dining, and living room areas.
Well mine are just carvings not much sculpting lol. |
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Oct 30, 2018 12:15:42 GMT -5
Can’t post pics on my phone. Can’t ever get Flickr to give me a damn code
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Post by aDave on Oct 30, 2018 14:03:39 GMT -5
So awesome! I was going to post my carvings but now I will pass
Thanks, but please do post them. We has a pumpkin sculpting party at our home on Sunday (our 8th annual) with about 16-18 people actually carving. Skills ranged from experienced to "How do I even begin?" Our house isn't that big. It took over the kitchen, dining, and living room areas.
That sounds like alot of fun. Your pumpkins are awesome.  ETA: Just looked at your album. Double awesome. It's really hard to pick a fav, as each has it's own distinctive look. Though not as detailed as some others, I really did like the morphing twins. I'm left with a bunch of questions, but I'll just ask a few. Is one variety of pumpkin better to sculpt than others? Do you draw a basic layout and then carve, or is it just free-style? Probably a dumb question, as I can't see drawing on it after the rind is removed. How long do they last? What are your basic tools? Sorry for all the questions - I'm simply impressed. |
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Post by toiv0 on Oct 30, 2018 14:46:24 GMT -5
Now I know why your jewelry is so awesome. Such detail, I'm impressed
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 19:06:56 GMT -5
Thanks, but please do post them. We has a pumpkin sculpting party at our home on Sunday (our 8th annual) with about 16-18 people actually carving. Skills ranged from experienced to "How do I even begin?" Our house isn't that big. It took over the kitchen, dining, and living room areas.
That sounds like alot of fun. Your pumpkins are awesome. ETA: Just looked at your album. Double awesome. It's really hard to pick a fav, as each has it's own distinctive look. Though not as detailed as some others, I really did like the morphing twins. I'm left with a bunch of questions, but I'll just ask a few. Is one variety of pumpkin better to sculpt than others? Do you draw a basic layout and then carve, or is it just free-style? Probably a dumb question, as I can't see drawing on it after the rind is removed. How long do they last? What are your basic tools? Sorry for all the questions - I'm simply impressed.
Thanks for the compliments and thanks for asking, too. As for selecting pumpkins, I just work with regular ordinary pumpkins. In addition to looking for oddly shaped ones, here's some other tips:
- Heavier rather than lighter (which means thicker)
- A thicker stalk (which means thicker and moister)
- A little green somewhere in the skin (which means moister)
- Avoid any that have soft spots or holes (even if the holes look healed)
- If you can force a thumbnail or fingernail into the surface skin you can be sure that a pumpkin is not too dry or hard.
- Prior to sculpting/carving and after sculpting, put your pumpkin in a plastic bag and keep it outside where (in Washington at least) it will remain cool and in shadow. That prevents drying.
- To attach something to your creation super glue works very well – even directly to the flesh.
Not a dumb question — I always draw a rough, simplified sketch on the pumpkin with a magic marker (not a sharpie - they smudge) before using tools. Removing the skin and your drawing with it can cause some panic, but I always have a photo or drawing on paper for reference.
My basic tools kit (I'll take a photo and post it later):
- Smallest blade on a pocket knife - Vegetable knife (a long, serrated, flexible, wicked sharp knife) - Potato peeler or a drill with bits (for pupils, nostrils, etc.) - Clay sculpting tools that I've sharpened - My favorite is a scalpel with a #12 blade (curved) for detailing eyes, grooves, and removing little bits here and there. I also use the scalpel for cutting opening new jewelry molds I've made.
How long do they last? Well, here in Western Washington during October-November the temperatures typically range from low 40s to the mid 50s. A sculpted pumpkin will last up to a week outside.
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Post by aDave on Oct 30, 2018 20:03:36 GMT -5
That sounds like alot of fun. Your pumpkins are awesome. ETA: Just looked at your album. Double awesome. It's really hard to pick a fav, as each has it's own distinctive look. Though not as detailed as some others, I really did like the morphing twins. I'm left with a bunch of questions, but I'll just ask a few. Is one variety of pumpkin better to sculpt than others? Do you draw a basic layout and then carve, or is it just free-style? Probably a dumb question, as I can't see drawing on it after the rind is removed. How long do they last? What are your basic tools? Sorry for all the questions - I'm simply impressed.
Thanks for the compliments and thanks for asking, too. As for selecting pumpkins, I just work with regular ordinary pumpkins. In addition to looking for oddly shaped ones, here's some other tips:
- Heavier rather than lighter (which means thicker)
- A thicker stalk (which means thicker and moister)
- A little green somewhere in the skin (which means moister)
- Avoid any that have soft spots or holes (even if the holes look healed)
- If you can force a thumbnail or fingernail into the surface skin you can be sure that a pumpkin is not too dry or hard.
- Prior to sculpting/carving and after sculpting, put your pumpkin in a plastic bag and keep it outside where (in Washington at least) it will remain cool and in shadow. That prevents drying.
- To attach something to your creation super glue works very well – even directly to the flesh.
Not a dumb question — I always draw a rough, simplified sketch on the pumpkin with a magic marker (not a sharpie - they smudge) before using tools. Removing the skin and your drawing with it can cause some panic, but I always have a photo or drawing on paper for reference.
My basic tools kit (I'll take a photo and post it later):
- Smallest blade on a pocket knife - Vegetable knife (a long, serrated, flexible, wicked sharp knife) - Potato peeler or a drill with bits (for pupils, nostrils, etc.) - Clay sculpting tools that I've sharpened - My favorite is a scalpel with a #12 blade (curved) for detailing eyes, grooves, and removing little bits here and there. I also use the scalpel for cutting opening new jewelry molds I've made.
How long do they last? Well, here in Western Washington during October-November the temperatures typically range from low 40s to the mid 50s. A sculpted pumpkin will last up to a week outside.
That's great info...thanks. I truly asked, as I was interested in your process and what you have to go through. As much as I think it might be fun to try, my artistic talent is just about zero. I'm not so sure I'd end up trying this myself, but who knows? I thought I did well in the past with templates and different sized saw blades that you find in kits. That may end up being all I can do. Thanks again. |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 30, 2018 20:08:10 GMT -5
Dang, you're good - no better than good, you're fabulous! You are as good or better than those folks I see on Halloween Wars on tv. Your pumpkins are amazing!
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 20:30:12 GMT -5
Here are some of my primary tools — |
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Post by opalpyrexia on Oct 30, 2018 20:38:14 GMT -5
Dang, you're good - no better than good, you're fabulous! You are as good or better than those folks I see on Halloween Wars on tv. Your pumpkins are amazing! Thank you. I think that I do well, but there are some pumpkin sculptors out there whose level of work I admire and aspire to. |
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Post by aDave on Oct 30, 2018 20:41:18 GMT -5
Here are some of my primary tools — The tools on the right side of the photo (not including the fork), are they tools used for working on clay that is being turned on wheels? |
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Those are so dang cool!
