[St0ney]

About the Sticker Paper, As Doh Has Shown , Extreme Stuff can be carved using this Technique also on Foam and Shaded at that .


FOR REAL Pumpkins Cut-Out

And I wrote this on my own Board,
Anyone still using Transfer Paper for Cut-outs, is just wasting time .

I Carved over 100 Cut-outs last year Just Using Sticker Paper.
a) It's a lot Cheaper than the Saral Transfer Paper.

b) 100 sheets from the link above for $10.99
how many pumpkin carves can you get from a roll of transfer paper?

c) No more tracing the Pattern on the pumpkin and having it wipe off..
Print it out Slap it on the pumpkin, and Carve right through the Pattern/Sticker.

Use a Saw with Small teeth, Like the smaller Saw Blade That comes in Ryan's Saw that he sells here, or an X-acto Key hole Saw Blade, which is basically the same blade.

FOR FOAM Pumpkins Cut-Out

X-acto out Shapes Just deep enough to cut through Paper and into the Pumpkin, then Cut with Dremel 1/32" Drill Bit

Or Do the whole thing with a Hot Knife if that's your tool of choice.

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Sticker paper sounds like it may be helpful when quantity is the goal. Stoney, I know you plow through a ton of carvings at the farm, so that sounds ideal for such a situation.

Personally, I'm more of a quality over quantity type of guy. I don't mind if my carving methods take longer, I enjoy taking my time to have impressively clean and accurate lines. Must be my perfectionist nature. Some Halloweens I may only carve 4 pumpkins for the big night. Not a lot by some standards, but I like each to be a real showpiece.

The reason I prefer Saral transfer paper is - once the transfer lines are in place, the paper pattern can be removed, so you can see exactly what you are cutting on the pumpkin skin. I don't feel that I get the same level of accuracy cutting through wet gummy paper that can get in the way.

Plus, I'm a neat freak. Paper scraps, glue, foam dust? ... eek! Haha.

Not to debate your advice, to each his own. I guess it just depends on your carving style and end goals.

[St0ney]

Ryan Did you see the Predator carve in this thread?
I say that's Extremely High Quality.

in fact one of the BEST Carvings I've ever seen.

It does depend on the carver, and what they prefer to use.

Before we all started using Transfer paper, we poked a billion and one holes.

Then people were using the transfer paper, and had to Trace the pattern on. And that chalk also gets wet and smears.

If your looking For Quality over Quantity
Then another step can be added, you can X-acto out the shapes
and Cut them with the saw, so your basically Scoring the Skin,
And giving the saw a line Crevice to follow.

The paper left on the pumpkin also acts as a Guide for the saw.
Using the transfer paper, you going at a line Drawn on.



Now Your Carvings are Extremely High Quantity,
And I'm extemely impressed when I see each and every one.

But you know There's Carvers that do carve more than 4 pumpkins.
Most I know 10 to 20. then the 50 to 100

So Bringing out a new technique that has proven itself.
not only as a time saver, but something that works for a Quality and Quantity carving. Is worth a try.

Especially if it's a Huge time Saver,

The Funny thing is I sell Saral Transfer paper on My site.
and I don't sell Sticker paper.

So what's that tell you besides - I'm a bad Salesman - LOL

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Ryan Did you see the Predator carve in this thread?
I say that's Extremely High Quality.

But you know There's Carvers that do carve more than 4 pumpkins.
Most I know 10 to 20. then the 50 to 100

Oh absolutely, Doh's carvings (cut out or shaded) are killer. I'm not knocking the potential outcome of the method. Just stating my personal preference to not cut through paper with a carving saw. Doh, it seems even you cut out the holes in the paper first with an x-acto, right?

Those of us who are discussing pumpkins in mid-September when most of the world thinks it's insanely early to be planning for Halloween... we are clearly the enthusiasts, quite likely to carve 10... 20... 50 pumpkins. But the bulk of my site audience arrives at the very end of October, looking for just 1 or 2 patterns to carve.

So if it ever sounds like I'm challenging "alternative" methods of carving, I'm really only trying to remind any casual carvers that show up here that you don't necessarily need special paper or a dremel etc.

Since my product is cut-out patterns, no shading, I like to remind beginners that - while some tools might make things easier, quicker - in a pinch on Halloween eve, all you really need to carve a Zombie Pumpkins pattern is one sheet of standard paper and a $3 carving saw from the drug store.

[Doh]

No problem Ryan!

It is good to remind people that you can go simple or you can go elaborate. It's completely up to the individual person.

[St0ney]

Ryan:

First I'm not going to apologize for the high jack of the thread,
Doh does it to me all the time, - LMAO

So How ya Been ? - LOL

I think we need to clear the Air,
My intentions on posting on this site, is to spread the word on new carving Techniques, That make life a little easier on the carvers that have just little time to carve an entire pumpkin display. And to show what crazy thing(s) I came up with this year, I understand your post Fully, on carving with a piece of paper, and a cheap knife, But this topic / Sticker paper, is no different than Mentioning a pro carving pumpkin tool, or a Pumpkin gutter that requires a Drill to use. It's to let folks out there know, that there are Items out there to make life easier for carving a pumpkin.

Now this part makes me feel uncomfortable to even type.
But I know some folks are now talking about shading.
And if you notice, I hardly reply to these post on here, even if it was my pattern used for the post, I don't want to cross the line. this is your site.

If asked I may Direct folks to a tutor I already wrote, Because I honestly don't have the time to answer these questions on a individual basis.
Actually that's the reason I made the tutors, and opened a web forum.
This way Other carvers can Help - the New shaded carvers with answers to their questions.

I have a custom carve I have to start and finish, right after I hit submit button on this post. It's hard to balance time for Sept and Oct.

Folks that get into shading will Continue to support Zombie Pumpkins,
Honestly they would be crazy not too.
You have the BEST Cut-Out Patterns in the Entire World. I'm not just a member here, But a Proud Member at that.

The Members of my site, see me carving your patterns in abundance each and every year, What's that tell them?

I Probably Have every single pumpkin masters pattern every made.
But I carve your patterns, not because their your patterns,
Because if I want Folks to get a WoW when they see the carve.
I'm smart enough to pick the pattern will get that WoW.
What this does, it increases ones displays,

I honestly can't wait to see the next pattern you come up with.

As an example:
There's Folks on my Site, that will carve say 10 of my patterns,
then carve another 10 to 20 of your designs, So their overall display is 20 to 30 pumpkins. and the shaded and cut-outs look incredible together.

Shading Does take a lot more time to carve than a cut-out pattern
It's not hard but more time consuming, and like everything there are learning curves, the more you do, the better you get.

We all have made mistakes, or found a better way to do this or that,
So we share what works better "Today" instead of folks going with what we did in the past.


So Hopefully this clears up why we post what we do.
Also Doh is the one that came up with the Glue Method that we all used for at least 10 years. I came up with the Sticker paper
And we both found that the sticker paper, is better than glue.

Like I said, It's uncomfortable to post these things.
Because I wear two separate hats.

1) I'm a pattern designer that has a pattern site
2) I'm also a Pumpkin carver that carves more than he would like too.

I try my best to only wear my Carver hat when I post here.

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Oh, I've seen all sorts of techniques for transferring and carving of my patterns. I once saw a video where someone cut out all the shapes of the pattern, and then rather than place the sheet of paper (with holes) onto the pumpkin to use like a stencil, they attached all the small cutout pieces onto the pumpkin, and then cut around them. Which worked, but I remember thinking... there's a better way! Imagine trying to arrange all the small shapes of the Hellraiser Pinhead design onto a pumpkin? That would more complicated than the Lament Configuration puzzle box! Haha.

There are limitless ways to transfer a pattern and to cut pumpkin flesh. So it's all up to the preference of the carver (and their resources). I like to promote Saral transfer paper because it works best for my style. But I have family members that will sit right next to me while we both carve, and still insist on doing the hole-poking method. Just because they are used to it. Hey, whatever works.

Anyway, I wasn't putting down sticker paper or even Dremels. If the method can work well with traditional cut-out patterns, by all means suggest it to the group. The more methods we know about, the more options we all have to discover a technique that fits our individual styles.

Stoney, since you bring up shading techniques, yeah I don't go out of my way to teach that here (I figure, that's what your site is for). Nor do I go into detail about painting pumpkins. Or sticking plastic facial features into a pumpkin, Mr. Potato Head style.

Basically I don't focus on methods that don't involve traditional cut-out pumpkin carving, because, after all, that's the main thing offered on this site. And it is partly the reason this forum was created... to promote my work and the techniques that benefit it.

So yeah, when sharing pumpkin carving tips, just try to stay on target with methods that will work well with my patterns, because that's what the majority of my site traffic is coming here for. Otherwise that would be like... if I owned an apple orchard, and with each bushel of apples I included recipes for banana bread.

I'm not correcting anything that was said previously. This is just more of a "for future reference" sort of thing. And Stoney, thanks for the raving compliments on my cut-thru patterns. Very much appreciated.

Back to topic, in this specific post, Doh illustrates some cut-out carvings done very successfully with the sticker paper method. If anyone else uses this technique, feel free to post about your experience here too!

[St0ney]

Oh, I've seen all sorts of techniques for transferring and carving of my patterns. I once saw a video where someone cut out all the shapes of the pattern, and then rather than place the sheet of paper (with holes) onto the pumpkin to use like a stencil, they attached all the small cutout pieces onto the pumpkin, and then cut around them.

I'll need to try that ! LOL
I'm glad you posted that - Gave me my first laugh of the day !

I once had a thought , to cut out the pattern on sticker paper, and slapping that on, but with the lines thin, it would also be a mess,
It works for (we'll call it Wall art) because that's going on a flat surface.

Okay back on part #2 of my post,
How do you wish I answer questions about shading, if they come up?
Are you okay with me sending them a PM to visit my tutor ?

Like I said, it's not right to do that on the board,
Makes me feel uncomfortable, because, I do think of you as a friend,
an Online friend but still a friend, and don;t want to do or say anything that can Hurt what you worked so hard on.

We do have a lot in common, we live and breath our sites.
Everything about our sites, patterns, Look, Promotion, Friendly Helpful Forms etc.......

Kinda puts me on the cross-roads, and in the cross hairs at the same time.

Let me know what you think.

P.S. I think my only Negative Post on here ever, was when a member
that was causing Issue, wanted people to stop talking about him, or he was going to get a gun and Kill Us ALL.

LMAO !!!

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I once had a thought , to cut out the pattern on sticker paper, and slapping that on, but with the lines thin, it would also be a mess, It works for (we'll call it Wall art) because that's going on a flat surface.

True, it would be hard to place a sheet of sticker paper onto a round pumpkin, with holes already cut out. If you were going to cut out the shapes anyway, you might as well just do it once the sticker paper is already on the pumpkin. It would be the same process of cutting with an x-acto knife, but you'd get the benefit of making score lines on the pumpkin skin (which you could follow if you sticker paper lifted up for some reason).

I've dabbled with using an x-acto blade to trace a pattern onto a pumpkin. Sometimes the lines can be hard to see (if you remove the pattern entirely) because the pumpkin skin sorta closes back up, hiding the line. But if you can see them, they can make a nice pre-cut line to follow.

Okay back on part #2 of my post,
How do you wish I answer questions about shading, if they come up?
Are you okay with me sending them a PM to visit my tutor ?

I suppose that's a good way to go about it. Like, if someone was begging for information on multi-level shading (which doesn't really apply to my style of patterns) might as well take the conversation private.

By the way, who this tutor you always talk about? I once knew I guy who was a tutor for math at my school, nice guy.

Obviously I'm not trying to pretend that the technique of pumpkin scraping/shaving doesn't exist. And scraping away just the surface of a pumpkin can even work with my patterns, as a single-tone shade. But since it takes a little extra skill/practice and different tools, I wouldn't want that technique to become a dominant recommendation on this site, because it could be confusing to newcomers who are looking for the more simple introductory methods.

Ok, now go get out of my cross-hairs, before I get my gun and.....

Just kidding!

[S.A.M]

For the past three or four years I've been carving my patterns through paper stuck to the pumpkin, though not sticker paper it is essentially the same thing. Someone on this forum posted it as their technique but I can't remember who.

All I do is print the pattern on normal paper and cover the back of it in a layer of PVA glue (white glue, Elmers) and stick it to the (real) pumpkin, whilst that is drying I'm gutting and prepping the next one. I think the results I've achieved haven't been too bad.

I really love not having to trace the pattern to the pumpkin, removing that step, for me at least, is terrific! I know it's not a hard task by any stretch of the imagination I just want to get carving as quick as possible.

Having said all that I don't know if I would recommend this method for first time carvers as it can be a little disorienting not seeing the pumpkin but you soon get used to it and now I wouldn't do it any other way.
Give it a try

[snow2alike]

You all know that I set up a carved pumpkin display at the Louisville Zoo and each year ~ 80,000 people come thru. The first question I get asked is "How did you do that?" I hold up my little $1 saw and I say "with this"

A pumpkin .....A saw......A pattern..... Yep that's all it takes to carve a
fantastic pumpkin!!!

The next question asked is "where do you get your patterns?"
I have a handout with all the carving pattern sites listed and a brief
description of what each site offers. I find it funny -- people used to
take a handout --- now they just take a picture of it with their phone!!

Usually the next thing I hear is " I'm Gonna Try That"

I met one family that came back the next week and thanked me for introducing them to pumpkin carving. They had joined Zombie Pumpkins and had already carved as a family -- 17 pumpkins !!! I see them each year and yes they are still carving !

That is just one of the reasons I do the Zoo thing.

[snow2alike]

all you really need to carve a Zombie Pumpkins pattern is one sheet of standard paper and a $3 carving saw from the drug store.

I forgot to post the quote from Ryan in my post above that got me started on the "why I do the zoo thing!

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

We all have our methods that evolve over time. What we have in common is a passion for carving these pumpkins, and getting the big reactions. Snow2alike, you do a great thing at the zoo... not only entertaining people with your art, but helping them learn how they too can carve like this. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

[Ajax]

My favorite part of the carving process is tracing the pattern onto the pumpkin then going over it with pen makes it feel more like an art then just a process of a b c.