18 Terrifyingly Fun Pumpkin Carving Ideas To Try This Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner, and nothing sets the spooky mood like a perfectly carved pumpkin. Whether you’re going for eerie, funny, or downright creepy, there’s a pumpkin carving idea here for everyone. From classic jack-o’-lanterns to intricate designs, these terrifyingly fun ideas will help you create a Halloween masterpiece that wows your neighbors, and maybe even gives them a fright!

Pumpkin carving is one of the most creative ways to celebrate Halloween, and these designs show just how imaginative it can get. From playful to spooky, each pumpkin brings its own personality to life. Continue below to see some creative and inspiring pumpkin carving ideas to try this Halloween.

Tell Us: Which one of the fun pumpkin carving ideas below do you find most inspiring to make this Halloween? Let us know in the Comments below!

PUMPKIN CARVING TIPS

1. You will want to purchase a pumpkin carving set to really master your carving skills.
2. If you wish to add teeth to your pumpkin, try using russet potatoes dipped in lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. If you want to add a tongue to your pumpkin, use a sweet potato.
4. For pumpkin eyeballs, use an ice cream scoop or a melon baller to scoop out the eyeballs from the potato. Use a Scotch-Brite pad to polish the surface if needed. Use “ReaLemon” 100% lemon juice from the grocery store to soak the potatoes in a bowl to keep them from browning (dilute with a little water). Get the Potato & Carrot Eyeball Tutorial.
5. To preserve your carved pumpkin, rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly or vegetable oil on all cut edges to keep them from drying out. You can also spray the pumpkin lightly with a water-and-bleach mixture (1 tsp bleach per cup of water) to slow mold growth and extend its lifespan.

HOW TO DIY FAKE BLOOD

You can make your own faux blood to make your pumpkin extra spooky this Halloween by mixing 1/2 cup Corn Syrup, 10 drops of Red Food Coloring, 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of cold water in a glass measuring cup. Cover the cup and put it in the microwave for about 2 minutes on high. The idea is to bring it to a boil. Remove it from the microwave, stir, and let it cool. Add your mixture into a squeeze bottle to apply to the pumpkin as needed.

1. Pumpkin Brain Zombie.

 This Halloween, get creative with your pumpkin and give it a brain surgery! Carve your pumpkin to look like a zombie with its skull cracked open, exposing a “brain” inside. Scrape off the pumpkin’s skin to make the layers of the brain. You could also add some red paint for a gory effect. It’s a perfect design for anyone who loves a classic zombie horror vibe. (via @ahopper929 / Instagram)

2. Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas.

These spooky pumpkin faces are frighteningly fun to create for the whole family, from the Scream Mask to the Jack Skellington. Simply gut your pumpkin, then draw on the faces and carve them out. Then add some black and white paint for the fun yet spooky finished product. Add an LED tea light to your pumpkins to illuminate them for your trick-or-treaters. Check out the provided link to view the video tutorial. (via @jaylensfuntv / Instagram)

3. Venomized Jack-O-Lantern.

 To create this venom pumpkin, you will need to do some carving and painting. Create this loo with a little acrylic paint, some hot glue, a coat hanger, and of course a pumpkin. If you’d like to see a clever video tutorial on how to copy this look, take a look below. (via Liamcole16 / Reddit)

How to carve a Venom Pumpkin for Halloween

4. Big Pumpkin Eating A Little Pumpkin.

This clever pumpkin idea uses a large pumpkin with large carved teeth, gripping a smaller white pumpkin. After carving the guts out of the larger orange pumpkin, use some of the pumpkin guts to spill out of the mouth of the miniature white pumpkin. (via doltyna18 / Pinterest)

5. Pumpkin Eats Pumpkin.

Get your chisels ready for this fun yet spooky pumpkin cannibal. Carve a big mouth into a large pumpkin and place a mini pumpkin halfway inside as if it’s being devoured. Add funny or scary eyes to the big pumpkin for some extra personality. It will look great on your front porch Halloween display and will surely delight your trick-or-treaters! (via Jezikuze Handmade)

6. Brace-Faced Jack-o’-Lantern.

Give your jack-o’-lantern a dental makeover this year! Carve a big toothy grin into your pumpkin, then add soda can tabs with wire to make hilarious “braces”. This playful design is both cute and clever, guaranteed to make everyone smile when they see it on your Halloween-decorated front porch. (via @thelastartistever / Instagram)

7. Pumpkin Behind Bars.

It seems like someone got into a bit of trouble this Halloween. This clever pumpkin carving idea takes spooky creativity to the next level — a tiny pumpkin locked in pumpkin jail! Would you bail out this little guy or let him serve his spooky sentence? TIP: Carve out the large pumpkin and place the miniature one inside the larger one through the lid. (via Annemarie Schubert / Pinterest)

8. Softball In The Eye Pumpkin.

Take your pumpkin carving to the next level of spooky (and sporty!) with this gruesome twist: a pumpkin with a softball lodged in its eye. Carve a sad expression into your pumpkin, then attach a real softball, partially sticking out of the eye socket. It’s a playful, dramatic design that’s sure to get laughs from trick-or-treaters and would also look great on display for a pumpkin party! (via Megan Jones / Pinterest)

9. The Smashing Pumpkins.

Create the scariest carved pumpkin display on your front yard ever with these smashed pumpkins! Stack a trio of pumpkins on a stick or PVC pipe, then place “smashed” pumpkins on the ground around it for extra effect. Add a smashed pumpkin head on one stick and the pumpkin’s guts on the other.  (via Virginia Lovell / Pinterest)

10. Pumpkin Head.

Create a spooky pumpkin head eating a small pumpkin. This pumpkin head can also be used to make a pumpkin scarecrow. For the body, start with a sturdy frame using PVC pipes, wooden stakes, or a broom handle. Add a crossbar for arms, then dress it in old clothes stuffed with straw or hay. Place your carved pumpkin on top as the head and secure it with a stick or dowel. For extra fun, light up the pumpkin with a battery candle and surround your scarecrow with hay bales or cornstalks for a festive Halloween look. (via Pinterest)

11. Stitch Eyes Pumpkin.

Give your pumpkin a spooktacular, stitched-up look! Carve some eyes and then poke small holes to add threading over the eyes using twine. Add a jagged mouth for an extra creepy effect. Grab a box of toothpicks for the teeth.  This design is simple to make but gives your jack-o’-lantern a delightfully eerie vibe. Don’t forget to add some fake stage blood around the mouth. TIP: Use dried asparagus fern vines; it ups the creepy factor. (via KiwagoStudio / Reddit)

12. Bee Sting Pumpkins.

This bee sting pumpkin carving idea is a fun project for the whole family. The bees can be found at a craft store, affixed using wire (twist them around a pencil to make springs). The orange pumpkin hands can be found at a Halloween superstore or on Amazon. You can also fashion them from pipe cleaners. The face can be carved using a Dremel (not all the way through) and then painted, or you can use black and white craft paper and glue the eyes and mouth onto the pumpkin. TIP: You can also make the arms using old doll arms painted orange and nail them into the pumpkin, or carrots for the arms. Crazy straws could be used to hold the bees in place on the pumpkin head. The bees can be made with black pom poms and pipe cleaners.

13. Small Pumpkin Eats a Large Pumpkin.

This creative pumpkin carving idea flips the classic “pumpkin devouring a smaller pumpkin” idea on its head! Carve a mini pumpkin with a big, mischievous mouth and place it as if it’s eating a larger pumpkin. The contrast makes this design both funny and unexpected, perfect for adding a playful twist to your Halloween display. (via Pinterest)

14. Jack-O-Lantern With Tongue Sticking Out.

This happy pumpkin was created using toothpicks as support for the tongue. It was carved out from the bottom, and the tongue piece was formed from the smiling mouth. Be sure to add an LED light at the bottom for an extra spooky touch. (via Ellie Creates Crafts / Pinterest)

15. The Pumpkin Beholder.

This spooky creation takes inspiration from the mythical Beholder! Carve one large eye in the center and fill the mouth with sharp teeth for a monstrous grin. Add small gourds or mini pumpkins for extra “eyes” and spiky details to complete the terrifying look. From the creator of this pumpkin, “we were pleasantly surprised by how our beholder took shape, even if it is a few eye stocks short.” (via youdontknowme23 / Reddit)

16. Pumpkin Monster Breakout.

This frightfully spooky jack-o-lantern looks like it’s trying to escape from its own skin using bendable pumpkin arms. With peeled potato “eyes” peering out and twisted vine “hands” clawing through the pumpkin shell, it’s equal parts creepy and creative. Have pumpkin guts and seeds coming out of its mouth for that extra gory effect. (via ~ S B ~ / Pinterest)

17. Pumpkin in a Pumpkin House.

Give your jack-o’-lantern a cozy home this Halloween! Carve a large pumpkin into a tiny “house,” complete with windows and a door, then place a miniature pumpkin inside. Add an LED tea light to make your pumpkin house extra spooky for your trick-or-treaters. (via @pastrywithjenn / Instagram)

18. Revenge of the Mini Pumpkins.

The large pumpkin is under attack by four mini white pumpkins that gang up on it! Carve the large pumpkin with wide, terrified eyes and a gaping mouth spilling out pumpkin guts. Arrange the miniature pumpkins to look like they’re chomping into the head of the big one. It’s super creative and guaranteed to be a hit on Halloween night! (via Natalie Altamirano / Pinterest)