Extreme Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving is a favorite part of Halloween. In recent years, jack-o-lanterns have become a fine art. This book makes it simple to carve your own Halloween decorations.

If your goal is to delight (and impress) friends and neighbors, or to win pumpkin carving contests, read this book.

Extreme Pumpkin Carving : 20 Amazing Designs from Frightful to Fabulous begins by explaining how to select a pumpkin, and how to keep it looking fresh as long as possible. (There is no way to preserve a pumpkin. But, these techniques can be used on artificial foam pumpkins.)

The first section of this well-illustrated book shows you exactly how to carve an ornate pumpkin using a standard kitchen knife or a pocket knife.

Step-by-step instructions and photos guide you from a naked pumpkin to finished product. And, it will take you about an hour and a half to two hours to complete.

Part Two takes the reader through the same kind of project using woodcarving tools. Every step is illustrated with a photo, and helpful tips about the angle and depth of each cut.

The third part of this book includes two dozen full-size patterns that you can photocopy and adjust to fit your pumpkin. Each black and white pattern is shown as a completed design in a photo on the facing page. You can choose a pattern that is simple enough for beginners, or leap into a fancy, ornate carving.

The designs include classic pumpkin faces, gnomes, "Green Man" faces, a pirate and even a Santa Claus. You could use these to carve pumpkins (and perhaps watermelons or other garden produce) for special events throughout the year.

I've tried pumpkin carving and it seemed pretty tedious for ho-hum results. However, this book has made me reconsider. I'll try their techniques--and at least one of their impressive patterns--this Halloween.

I'm certain of this: If you want to carve Halloween pumpkins that people will rave about throughout the year, you will love this book.