Get Pumpkin Carving Tips From Hudson Valley’s Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze Master Carver and Creative Director

Directions

1. Pick a pumpkin that works for your intended design, or let the gourd’s natural form inspire what you carve.
2. Check the pumpkin's skin by pressing your fingernail into it; avoid squishy pumpkins with deep indentations and select firmer ones with a solid stem to ensure it lasts longer.
3. Instead of opening the top, cut an opening at the pumpkin’s base—this looks neater and makes it simpler to place a candle inside.
4. Insert a drywall hand saw carefully and use a back-and-forth sawing motion to cut around the circle.