intricate details

[lilaxdefense]

sorry if this is a stupid question. what tool do people use to carve the extremely detailed work on patterns like the harley quinn or pennywise ? and what size pattern do people print these patterns on ? thanks

[St0ney]

Most of the Really Detailed Patterns are Carved on Foam Craft Pumpkins Using a Dremel with a 1/32" Drill bit.

Here's a Tutorial that Shows how we Do it... this is For shading but it covers the Cut out sections also.

http://www.stoneykins.com/Carve_Foam.html

[lilaxdefense]

thanks - i figure i need to practice on real ones first - though its not supposed to be 90 degrees at the end of sept, darn pumpkin was melting. it didn't suck but hopefully someone who has skills post a picture so i can see how its supposed to look.

[Timmaay8]

I do the intricate ones on real and foam. For my real pumpkins, I use Saral transfer paper with Matte fixative to seal it in. Occasionally I use an x-acto blade. Cutouts with the X-acto keyhole saw. Detailed shading with speedball linoleum cutter #1. Truthfully I do most of my pumpkin with this. For larger shading I use the #5 speedball tip. On shaded areas that are big enough to smooth, I use clay ribbon tools. I attached 3 pics so you can see what you can get with the tools I described. You can look at my old posts too if you'd like. You can get all the stuff I use on this site.

[lilaxdefense]

those are really good - if you are apprentice then i am in a world of hurt . i tried the transfer paper but maybe cause i am lefty i tended to smudge sections after awhile and as i have no artistic talent free handing corrections doesnt work . i use tattoo paper to put it on - it works unless the drill winds up wrapping the pattern then i am back to free hand. i use the keyhole and small sculpting tool ( i have no luck using the speedball - i can retry i guess.) i have started to use the dremmel with mixed results. let me figure out how to post an image.


this is sadly the best i have been able to do.

[Timmaay8]

My wife is a lefty. The matte fixative is a must to stop the smudges. It works for her. See the link below. If you try the speedballs again. Outline everything with the #1 bit. EVERYTHING!!! It makes the cleanest, sharpest lines. As for the apprentice......I'm not sure how to change that. I always thought Stoney was in charge of that. Anyways, just pick something more challenging each year. I have massive amounts of patience. Many of my detailed carves on real pumpkins take me 8 to 12 hours. Sometimes over 2 days. Your work was very clean. I think you have it in you. Keep trying stuff until you find what works for you. Many of the carvers won't even touch intricate patterns on a real pumpkin. Because it will rot away. I hammer on them for the week leading up to halloween. Most detailed ones are done later. Then I bleach the crap out of them and store them in a fridge. Then,I just collect the photos. That's just as satisfying to me.

https://www.dickblick.com/items/21707-1 ... te=2505557

[lilaxdefense]

Thanks for the info - i will try the matte stuff. i only do the real because i have no room to store funkins.so same as you keep pictures. tell me more about the bleaching them .

[Timmaay8]

I have a Deep sink in the laundry room. It gets filled with water and a healthy splash of bleach. I don't measure. We soak them foe a couple hours after carving. Flipping them. Kills the bad stuff. We just rinse them after the soak so we don't destroy clothes with the bleach. Might soak them again periodically every 2-3 days to plump them up and disinfect them. Or sometimes more often if we are out of space in the refrigerator. This works well when I have a week before halloween to carve. Doing the less intricate first. Helps them to survive. I'd say that the garage helps keep them cool if the fridge gets full, but its been warm here in upstate NY.