Halloween Pumpkin Stencils (warning: scary pictures)

Halloween is coming up quickly and before we know it we’ll be trying to carve up some pumpkins. Everyone has seen the regular jackolantern design with the 2 triangles for eyes and the zig zag mouth. How about trying something different this year?

Using Photoshop you can easily and quickly create a stencil that you can use to carve up pumpkins.

The first step is the most important. Find an image that has enough shadows and shapes so that we can carve a face with out having the pumpkin break up. For this tutorial I’m going to use a screen shot from The Exorcist. The picture can be disturbing for some people so be careful when you click on more:-

Okay. Step 1. I chose this picture:

exorcist

I chose this one because a) It’s scary. b) There are lots of well defined shapes in the image. For example there are well defined light areas and well defined shadow areas. Most of the shadows are joined together and that would make for a pretty stable pumpkin.

Step 2. De-saturate the image by going to Image > Adjustments > De-saturate and you will end up with something like:

exstep2

step 3. Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness / Contrast. I did contrast 100% and brightness -60% and I got this:

exstep3

step 4. Next grab the pencil tool and use black for the foreground color. Make all the black areas so that they are easy to cut and are solid. Make sure that there are no floating black shapes because those would be impossible to cut. I got this:

exstep4

step 5. Crop and print. I cropped the image and printed out a large image. Big enough that it would fit a pumpkin. Now cut out the white areas and leave the black areas and you will have a very cool carved pumpkin! Here is a big one version of the image:

Large Image

here is a good site to get inspiration: http://www.jack-o-patterns.com/Carvings2005.ivnu

here are some free cut outs made by members of somethingawful.com

HomeStarRunner Pumpkin Stencils

More Pumpkin Stencils

Even more Pumpkin Stencils

44 thoughts on “Halloween Pumpkin Stencils (warning: scary pictures)”

  2. solin

    That was scary maan… I’m going to do one or my arse.. that IS going to be scary! … can i post it here!?

  3. Khurrum Post author

    zana: haha yes! totally! I’ll be right over 🙂

    Solin: Yes you can post it here 😀 Email the pictures to me if you want and I will host them.

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  6. ljsdfhg

    Its stupid u should have more than that. like ghosts, cats, withches or what u cant do those now I cant do my pumkin a ghost because u dont have it.

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  9. Khurrum Post author

    Olga : Thanks 😉

    ljsdfhg : Sorry that you did not find what you were looking for. The purpose of this tutorial was to teach people how to create their own stencils so that you are not dependant on others.. you know.. i’m just teaching everyone how to fish 😉

    3mm@: Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  11. kelly

    Hello I just stubled over your page here. thanks for posting this its been a huge help to my halloween plans! Thanks again!!!
    Kel

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  16. GAYFORD

    are you friken crazy i like pooped my self lookn at that first picture!

    this is how i went…………..
    ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh HOLEY MOLEY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

  22. garg

    This page doesn’t have many stencils because its purpose is to TEACH YOU how to make your own stencils.

  30. Re-Tard's-Son

    hahahaha!!!! my dad is gay! and so is this website. the girl looks like my mom in the morning! ahahahahahahahah ha

  37. LaLacruiser

    So, let me get this straight..

    Some losers surf the web to find ready-made stencils for carving pumpkins, but instead find one that clearly shows anyone (well,with more than 10 brain cells obviously) how to make your own unique and personalized pattern(s) for halloween and insted they talk smack about the web-site and its author…

    I feel deeply sorry for you (losers)

    Now, let me give thanks to someone who was actually willing to take the time to publish this site for OTHER people instead of just thinking of themselves like so many others in this day and age… your site was exactly what I was looking for to express my own individuality .

    GOD BLESS

  38. Jake

    Whoah! I never thought it would look cartoon…. Great tips Sir! Thanks for sharing that… Keep posting great tips… 🙂

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