Halloween is just around the corner, and nothing sets the festive mood like a creatively carved pumpkin. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned DIYer, these easy pumpkin carving ideas will help to make your Halloween décor stand out. From classic pumpkin faces to playful patterns, there’s a design for every style and skill level.
Choose your favorite, or mix and match, to create a pumpkin display that’s festive, fun, and sure to impress every trick-or-treater! Underneath each image, you will find links to the sources for more details and inspiration. TIP: The Pumpkin Lady offers a wide variety of free printables for download and printing.
Tell Us: Which one of these pumpkin carving ideas do you find most inspiring? Let us know in the Comments below!
Tips For Easy Pumpkin Carving
- Use a pumpkin carving kit: These make cutting intricate designs much simpler.
- Go shallow: For beginners, shallow cuts are safer and still allow light to shine through.
- Plan your design first: Sketch your idea on paper or use a washable marker directly on the pumpkin.
- Keep tools handy: Small knives, carving scoops, and drills make the process faster and easier.
- Use waterproof paint pens to draw on spooky faces on your pumpkin for a quick and easy no-carve pumpkin design.
1. The Alien Pumpkin.
Grab some paint, green pipe cleaners, and pom-poms or small Styrofoam balls (soaked in green paint) for this creative alien pumpkin. Alternatively, you can use glow in the dark paint for an extra spooky touch. You can find free pumpkin face stencils to help you trace a pattern onto your pumpkin. (via Kayla Dittman / Facebook)
2. Pumpkin Face With Spiders.
This spooky Halloween pumpkin is easy to carve, just add three holes for the eyes and mouth, and affix some spiders to the face. Fill the eyes with mini white pumpkins, which can be found at any supermarket or Trader Joe’s. (via / Pinterest)
3. Brace Face Pumpkin.
This playful pumpkin is sure to be fun to carve for adults and kids alike. Carve out triangular eyes and a mouth with teeth. Attach soda can tabs for the pupkins’ carved teeth. Use wire to connect the tabs, mimicking the look of orthodontic braces. (via KMD / Pinterest)
4. Baseball Pumpkin.
For anyone who loves baseball, this pumpkin face will be a lot of fun to create! Be sure to trace your face with a washable felt marker to make it easier to carve. You can either use a knife or a carving kit. Affix some pumpkin seeds under the eyes of your pumpkin face with glue to make the pumpkin look like it’s crying. (via Judy McCalligan / Pinterest)
5. Frankie Pumpkin.
Create your own version of a Frankenstein (or any monster) pumpkin, fun for the whole family! This beginner project takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is suitable for children aged six and above. You will need some paint, craft fur, wiggle eyes, and paint pens to transform an ordinary orange pumpkin into a crazy (or scary) character! Get the full tutorial at the provided link. (via Michaels)
6. Scaredy Cat Pumpkin.
Make this Scaredy Cat Pumpkin by carving large round eyes, an open surprised mouth, and using the stem for the nose. Use mini pumpkins or marshmallows for the eyes, and fill the mouth with pumpkin seeds for a fun and expressive Halloween look! (via Pinterest)
7. Puking Pumpkin Carving.
This puking pumpkin is a Halloween classic! Carve a lid for the top of your pumpkin to remove the guts, then carve out squinting eyes and a triangular nose above a wide-open mouth. Scoop out the insides, then arrange the pumpkin’s own guts spilling out to create a gross effect that will be fun and unique for your front porch this Halloween. (via Kaylin Ryan / Pinterest)
8. Goofy Pumpkin Monster.
Create this adorable pumpkin monster by carving a wide, smiling mouth and adding two small gourds affixed to carrots for eyes. It’s a fun, easy pumpkin carving idea that’s perfect for adding a playful touch to your Halloween-decorated front porch! (via Sanmaxwell / Pinterest)
9. Toothy Grin Pumpkin.
Create this toothy grin pumpkin by carving a gaping smile and inserting toothpicks as jagged teeth for a creepy-cute effect. Carve out some spooky eyes, then add an LED tea light to give your jack-o’-lantern a wicked glow that will be sure to give your trick-or-treaters a scare on Halloween night! (via Ruth Finerty Basanta / Pinterest)
10. Killer Pumpkin Attack.
For some spooky fun this Halloween, try carving a scary face, then add a carving knife through the top for a dramatic effect. Add some Fake Blood Spray all over your pumpkin face, especially at the wound site, for a chilling, Halloween horror look. (via Pinterest)
11. The Green Monster.
This green pumpkin features the top with the stem as the nose, and a light carving for the eyes and mouth to create a creepy face. The eyes have small holes in them, but you could use black permanent marker to fill in the pupils. (via Smith & Ratliff/ Pinterest
12. Drilled Pumpkin.
Have some fun with your pumpkin carving this Halloween. For this project, you will need a drill and two sizes of drill bits. Cut out a hole in the bottom and scrape out all the seeds. Drill holes in straight lines on the pumpkin. You may wish to use a marker to put dots for where you want the holes to be. You can copy this pattern or create your own. Fill the pumpkin with a set of Christmas string lights to illuminate the holes. This one is plugged into the wall, but you can also use battery-operated string lights. (via Pinterest)
13. Green Jack-O-Lanterns.
You can’t go wrong with a variety of silly face pumpkins. When the traditional jack-o’-lantern design is carved into a green pumpkin, it stands out from the traditional orange pumpkin. Let each family member create their own for a fun and festive display. (via Cama Brief)
14. Pumpkin Family.
Carve simple shapes into your pumpkin, matching the face according to the gourd’s size, color, and shape. Select darker pumpkins to carve out a scowling look, and lighter ones for a more friendly-looking jack-o’-lantern. If you are in a time crunch, you can also use paint and trace a free Halloween pumpkin stencil onto your pumpkin. For this project, you will need to hollow out four pumpkins in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. Transfer a stencil onto the pumpkins and use a pumpkin carving kit to cut out all of the shapes. The eyebrows are made using a gouging tool. Stack the pumpkins with the lids off (except for the top). Be sure to add battery-operated tea lights to cast them aglow. (via Better Homes & Gardens)
15. How Are You Peeling?
This green pumpkin steps away from the traditional orange pumpkin used for Halloween pumpkin carving. For this unique pumpkin, you will need a parsnip for the nose, and the top of the parsnip is used for the creepy eyeball. Use pieces of the pumpkin from the eye hole for the teeth. (via aMUSED)
16. Mommy Pumpkins.
This simple project transforms a gourd (or you can use a pumpkin) into a modern-day mummy. Select a tall, oblong-shaped gourd so you have extra length for wrapping. For the pumpkin eyeballs, drill 1/2-inch holes into the pumpkin and insert round head push pins inside. Alternatively, you can draw dots for eyes using a permanent marker. Wrap streamers or gauze around your guard, leaving a gap for the eyes to poke through. (via @johnny_miller_ for @marthastewart / Instagram)
17. Monogrammed Pumpkins.
Personalize your pumpkin with your initials for a classy, modern look to welcome trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. To make these pumpkins, print out large letters as a template to trace onto your pumpkin. You can either carve the letter onto your pumpkin, use a permanent marker, or paint it on. (via Alexandra Grablewski for Better Homes & Gardens)
18. Cookie Cutter Pumpkins.
Use cookie cutters to cut fun shapes into your pumpkins. You can flip the cutouts around to reveal the other side of the pumpkin, or swap shapes between pumpkins of different colors for a playful, contrasting look. Get the full tutorial at the provided link. (via @kirstenrfrancis for @marthastewart / Instagram)
19. Bat Pumpkin.
If you plan to make a no-carve Halloween pumpkin this year, this bat pumpkin painting idea is a simple and fun way to create one. Simply paint the pumpkin black and use cardboard paper or black craft foam for the wings and ears. For the eyes and mouth, you can also use colored paper or felt. (via Easy Peasy and Fun)
20. Spider Web Pumpkins.
Create a spider web pattern on your pumpkin using twisted twine and a few plastic spiders for an eerie look. Affix the twine to the pumpkins using either straight pins or a hot glue gun. Get the full tutorial at the provided link. (via Woman’s Day)
21. Nightmare Before Christmas Pumpkin.
If you don’t have the time to carve a pumpkin or don’t want the mess, try this no-carve, painted pumpkin face. To make this pumpkin, select a white pumpkin (real or faux) or paint an orange one with white acrylic paint and let it dry completely. Sketch Jack Skellington’s face lightly with a pencil — large black eyes, small nostrils, and his signature wide, stitched grin. Paint the features using black acrylic paint or a black paint pen. Finish with a sealant if you plan to display the item outdoors to protect the paint. (via @lunchboxdad / Instagram)
22. Owl Pumpkin.
For this cute and pimple pumpkin owl, paint your pumpkin white or buy a white pumpkin. Hot glue artificial flowers for the eyes and draw on a beak with a permanent Sharpie Pen. Set it on your front porch to greet your trick-or-treaters. (via Vicky Kauffman / Facebook)
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