Alucard Jack-O-Lantern

Here at The Anime Blog we’re really excited that it’s almost Halloween! One of our favorite activities this time of year is carving pumpkins. Last year, Rachel carved a Hellsing-themed pumpkin (the Alucard Jack-O-Lantern):

Here are some things you’ll need to carve up your own themed pumpkin. All items are highly recommended (be careful and ask for your parents permission if you’re a young’n!):

• Nice tall pumpkin
• Pumpkin carving kit (with saws and scoop)
• Good reference material (photo, printout, etc)
• Red crayon or red magic marker
• Lots of newspaper
• Large bowl
• Large candle

After you have all of your items assembled in a central location, you’ll be ready to start! Before you begin drawing and carving, make sure to lay the newspaper out on the surface you’re working on. It’s also a good idea to keep a damp towel nearby to wipe up quick messes.

1. First, clean off any dirt or grime from your pumpkin. I like to use several wet paper towels, followed by some blue window cleaner to remove any additional dirt.
2. Next, take your reference material and use it to recreate the major shapes from the image. Use the red crayon or marker to mark the areas to cut. Be sure your lines are visible! Keep in mind that you don’t want to draw each and every detail. If you do, when you start carving, you’ll find that pieces will break off or it might take hours to slice.
3. Draw a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. This will be the main entrance (lid) for cleaning out the innards, so make it a nice uniform size. Draw a ‘notch’ in one side so after you cut the lid you’ll know where it lines up at.
4. Begin carving the lid around the pumpkin stem. Cut at an angle so that the lid won’t fall into the pumpkin once it’s cut out.
5. Pull the lid off and begin scooping out the innards of the pumpkin. This is often the most time-consuming parts of carving a jack-o-lantern.
6. Once the pumpkin innards are out, it’s time to begin carving the face shape! Use one of the saws from the pumpkin carving kit to begin cutting. Take your time and be sure to cut just outside the lines you’ve drawn.
7. After all your shapes are cut out, clean the pumpkin again to make it look it’s best.
8. Place the candle inside, light it and you’re done! Be sure your pumpkin is setup in a safe place. Often, outside is the best place to have them lit. Plus, when they begin to rot your home won’t start smelling!

If you don’t know what to do with all the pumpkin innards, you can take the gooey stuff off and roast the pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack!

What are your plans for Halloween? Tell us in the comments below!