Show off your pumpkin pics and tells us about the experience.
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By St0ney
#87324
ghostface wrote:He's gorgeous!! Once again, excellent work St0ney! :thumbsup:

Thanks ghostface !

I made the pattern just last night, and I needed to find out for-myself if it could be carved. :D
Personally this is the most Extreme cut out stencil I ever made or carved (well to-date) - LOL.
So Yea - I needed to test it out myself.


I used Adobe Illustrator to not only make the stencil, But to get a Shape Count (known as objects or closed Paths, in the program)
- There is a total of 189 Cut-Out Shapes - LMAO !!

It only took a little over an Hour to carve. And I did take my time on each shape.

2014 Gemmy Pumpkin - carved with Dremel with a 1/32" Drill bit.
I did break a bit 1/2 way through the carve, It's their Paint, that caked up the bit, and made it weak.

Paint caked on a bit, will make the bit Wobble, then break. I spent more time cleaning the bit, with an X-acto then I did carving the pumpkin.
So Yea - I'm not Happy with this years Gemmy...
Last edited by St0ney on Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By Minionette
#87425
I learn something new every time I get into the forum! Tonight its about paint and drill bits! lol!! I haven't been breaking as many, but sometimes I wonder what causes it. I'm holding the flexshaft right, not forcing the bit....but **SNAP** there goes another one.. Now I can be on the lookout for paint. Any tips on the sticker paper? sometimes, no matter how careful I am it will strip some of the orange paint off the outside. I found a craft paint (acrylic) that I touch those little spots up with. I am also careful to not really press down hard on the sticker paper. Have you run into this? TIA!
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By St0ney
#87449
Minionette wrote:I learn something new every time I get into the forum! Tonight its about paint and drill bits! lol!! I haven't been breaking as many, but sometimes I wonder what causes it. I'm holding the flexshaft right, not forcing the bit....but **SNAP** there goes another one.. Now I can be on the lookout for paint. Any tips on the sticker paper? sometimes, no matter how careful I am it will strip some of the orange paint off the outside. I found a craft paint (acrylic) that I touch those little spots up with. I am also careful to not really press down hard on the sticker paper. Have you run into this? TIA!

Bits Breaking, Sometimes it's Just because your carving to Fast (I carve Fast - LOL).


Paint/Sticker
I think it depends on the brand and or Model - I carved a Logo Last night on a Dark Orange Funkin using Sticker Paper, and No Paint Pulled off at all.
When I carved a White Funkin from Joann's the paint pulled up pretty bad... Same Issue on light orange funkins ?

Anywho - Doh came up with a Fix, If you apply heat to the Sticker (Blow Dryer) It will make the Sticker come off Easier - and leave the paint on the pumpkin...

I'm actually going to Test out the Stick and Carve Stuff Also. For me I have to look at cost...

If I'm carving 50 Pumpkins a Day for Demonstrations - Then I'm not going to pay a buck a Sheet for that Stuff, I'll stick with the Sticker Paper.

But I still want to Test the Stick and Carve - For the Custom Carve work I do. For that a Buck a Sheet - makes Sense.
Stuff Like Logo's or easy Carves.. Anything Detailed - I'm sticking with Glue.

My Testing is to see if the Stick and carve Melts with the Dremel, and also to see if I can Outline a Shaded Shape then Pull that part of the Pattern off the Foam Pumpkin for shading. I've seen Good Results for Cut-Out Patterns using saws and Hot Knife's But now Dremel needs to be tested. and For Shading.
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#87471
Of your carvings so far, my favorites are Lon Chaney Jr. as the WolfMan (original art by Jason Edmiston, I'm a big fan, look up his work!). And Groot is pretty insane. If I designed a pattern like that, I would take that as a starting point and then simplify/reduce the shapes to help carvers keep their sanity. :lol: 189 cut out shapes? Good gourd, if my designs have more than 35 cut out shapes I usually classify them as "maniac" level. I guess you're crazy well beyond the typical maniac. I always suspected so. :P
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By St0ney
#87489
Zombie Pumpkins! wrote:Of your carvings so far, my favorites are Lon Chaney Jr. as the WolfMan (original art by Jason Edmiston, I'm a big fan, look up his work!). And Groot is pretty insane. If I designed a pattern like that, I would take that as a starting point and then simplify/reduce the shapes to help carvers keep their sanity. :lol: 189 cut out shapes? Good gourd, if my designs have more than 35 cut out shapes I usually classify them as "maniac" level. I guess you're crazy well beyond the typical maniac. I always suspected so. :P

I'm familiar with Jason's Work, He is incredible ! LOVE His Stuff !
As far as being Crazy - No Offense taken - I belong in a Padded Room ! :D Can't Argue with Fact !

Our Sites Serve Different Purposes and Patterns... Always !
I shoot for Extreme - Life-Like - You shoot For Easy to carve - and Looks Exactly Like what it's supposed too...

Make No Bones about it - I have the UTMOST Respect, for your Patterns - It's NOT Easy to design easy to carve Patterns that Look Exactly Like the Subject...
Many Carvers I know (Me included) Will Do a Extreme and Easy to carve, So we can Have Great Displays with many Pumpkins...

ALL the Pumpkin Fest Do this Also, Out of say 5000 carved pumpkins, 300 will be Extreme/Painted, and the Other 4,000 Plus will be More simple to carve patterns.
Lots and Lots of Jack-O's ....

We have Different Styles - and I'm keeping that, that way...
I don't want or need to Step on your toes... We will touch on same topics/subjects... from time to time.. (EVERY SITE is going to do Frozen) We have too - It's HOT !
But I'm not looking to make stoneykins patterns - look like ZP Patterns... I even Use Different Brushes in the Programs. to keep our styles Separate/Different.

There's Already Enough Folks out there, Copying Our Idea's-Design Styles- and Our Websites !

Even Carving Techniques - I posted on the Stick and Carve on my forum also, and Said YOU had good results with saws, and a Hot knife.
I don't need to test that now - You did it and get the credit..

For years I promoted my site for the Pattern designs, I'm now looking to promote the sites services (Custom Patterns and Custom Carving)..
Many Times they go Hand in Hand - If someone Orders Something Really Cool, Halloweeny - or Some Superstar, I add the Pattern to the shop.

But that don't happen Often enough, 98% of the Custom Stuff I do, is of Loved Ones, Pets, Company Logo's etc...
Someone Just ordered my Beatles Hard Days night to be carved, That's like the first Custom Carve I did from a pre-made pattern in a LONG Time.
Love those when they do happen, (saves like 2 hours not having to make a pattern)..

This is Why I'm loving this Fest Thing I have going, Lot's of themes/Subjects, that I don't have patterns for, they all need to be created.
BUT - I also get to add them to the Store for 2015.. Two Birds one St0ney !! :D
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By Minionette
#87518
lol! Yes,St0ney, I can get a little hyper when I carve, I just get so darn excited to see the finished product. Thanks for the tip on the sticker paper, I'm going to definitely give that a try! I need to teach myself patience, so maybe, just maybe, after the season calms down I'll save a funkin or two to refine my technique and practice on..... BTW, I call myself the crazy pumpkin lady, so I'll be joining you in that padded room! lol!!! :D
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By St0ney
#87523
Minionette wrote:lol! Yes,St0ney, I can get a little hyper when I carve, I just get so darn excited to see the finished product. Thanks for the tip on the sticker paper, I'm going to definitely give that a try! I need to teach myself patience, so maybe, just maybe, after the season calms down I'll save a funkin or two to refine my technique and practice on..... BTW, I call myself the crazy pumpkin lady, so I'll be joining you in that padded room! lol!!! :D

Yea - I just Ordered 20 Dozen Bits :D
No I don't Break them ALL - LOL

It's the Cost of doing Business, Bits get Worn - Not as Sharp as a New Bit would be.
So I'll use the same Bit, until it breaks, or Does not cut, like a Hot knife through butter.

Same as X-acto Blades - Paper cutters will tell you After doing a lot of cutting (Even on Paper) the Blade gets Dull.

I do this with every carving Tool - New Carving Saw Blades at the beginning of each season. and replace when no longer sharp.
Lino Cutters - New Nibs each season - and replace when no longer sharp.
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By St0ney
#87536
More Custom Work - I wont Bore you with all the company Logo's...
This one was FUN - I'm a Huge Beatles Fan.

Image


This one is a Gift for my Daughters Teacher - I have carved a Pumpkin for EVERY Teacher she has ever had.
From Pre-School to Now 6th Grade.

Image

I have a Pretty Tough one coming up - Just Putting the pattern on Now.
And will try and carve it in the morning.
Last edited by St0ney on Sat Aug 29, 2015 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By St0ney
#87541
Minionette wrote:lol! Yes,St0ney, I can get a little hyper when I carve, I just get so darn excited to see the finished product.
Ya Know it's Funny you said that !

For years when Someone Ordered a Custom Carving, When it was Completed, I would email them a Photo of the carve, and the tracking number for shipping.
I just Recently Like (last week) Stopped that system, I still Send tracking info, But no Photo....

You can Carve a million pumpkins, but you don't get that WoW - until you light it up,
I want my customers, to ALSO get that WoW Factor for the first time when they light it up. :thumbsup:
The Photo's Were taking the Thrill out of it...

Also - Don't Tell anyone shhhhhhhh, I carve better, then the photo's I take,
So it's actually better they see the actual Kin and not the Photo ! :D
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By SuperSonic
#87561
Damn that Groot pattern looks stupendous! Along with your other work of course! :thumbsup: Keep churning them out :)
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By St0ney
#87562
Thanks Sonic !!!

I'm Back to Logo's for a Bit, I have a re-peat customer from last year (she ordered 25 Logo's Last year)
She wants 4 more so far this year... Last year the order started at 10 - LOL So my guess is she will keep me busy for a-while. :D
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