OT: Pumpkin season

[jflis]

Well, not really *rocketry* related, but related to my new rocket *company*... *S*

October is a very busy season for me because it is pumpkin season. I typically carve 20-40 pumpkins each october, depending on how many orders I get. One of my most popular are logo-pumpkins where I carve an establishments logo on a pumpkin. Great for bars and resturaunts during the haloween season.

Here is my FlisKits pumpkin (Unlit on top and lit on bottom). It's about 84KB (600 pixels wide)

 

[jflis]

And my Jimi Hendrix pumpkin. This is the same as one i did a few years ago. It was so popular I decided to do it again.

This image is about 52KB, shows unlit on top and lit on bottom, 600 pixels wide.

Just thought it'd be fun to throw some seasonal fun into the mix *S*

jim

 

[KenParker]

One word: incredible

 

[Milo]

That's some cool pumpkin art.

 

[gerbs4me]

That is impressive. Great Job

 

[Dean]

Jim, we found the pictures of your previous year's pumpkins on your web site some weeks ago and were awe struck. Pumpkins are a big deal at our house as both of my kids were born on Holloween (4 years apart) so we do a lot of Holloween parties. In fact this year my son is doing a pumpkin carving birthday party (that's right! a house full of 8 year olds with sharp implements!) Your work has inspired us!

Do you use any "special techniques" or tools? Do you transfer the design to the pumpkin from paper or do you carve them freehand?

 

[eugenefl]

Um, my pumpkins usually have triangles.

Great work. Thanks for sharing. It is always neat to see the other hobbies rocketry folks are involved in.

 

[jflis]

Dean,

I use an exacto #11 for all the fine carving. For wide or deep areas I use a variety of wood carving chisles. It is amazing how much detail you can get into these pumpkins if you just take your time.

As for how i get the pattern on, sometimes I trace (like if i am doing a business logo, i want it to be exact as that is what they are paying for) and sometimes I free hand.

Here are some of my free-hand pumpkins (pix of unlit pumpkins means I don't have good lit pix. These things were a bear to photograph till i got digital cameras *S*)

https://jflis.com/hobbies/pumpkins/images/aug1999/dragon_u.jpg

https://jflis.com/hobbies/pumpkins/images/aug1999/scaryface01l.jpg

https://jflis.com/hobbies/pumpkins/images/joepump.jpg

https://jflis.com/hobbies/pumpkins/images/2000/jim/pa250013.jpg

keeps me off'n the streets at night... Thank God that this season coinsides with baseball post-season play!

 

[Austin]

Very cool jim you all have me wanting to grab a knife and start cutting!

Carl

 

[jflis]

well, i decided to raise the bar (as it were) even for me.

This is my latest carving. If you've looked at all the pix in this thread, then you've seen my Jimi Hendrix. Here is a 3 foot wide Jimi Hendrix spaning 9 pumpkins.

This was a very rough attempt to prove a concept. Next year it'll be larger.

 

[jflis]

This image, I used a flash so that you can better see the individual pumpkins. My neighbors love it *S*

 

[rstaff3]

Jim, they've all been neat, but now I'm REALLY impressed!

 

[jflis]

that was a concept piece to see if it could be done. Now I know that it can... Next year I am going after a world record... Will start the actual work (planning/design) later this month.

*this* will be a kewl project *S*

 

[rstaff3]

I was wondering, is that considered a staged jack-o-lantern, or a cluster? Or both?

 

[ibeblip]

PSYCHEDELIC, Jim.

You must have been to Electric Lady Land. And quite obviously are experienced.
Pass the Purple Haze, please.

 

[Stones]

"flyin high...everyday and everynight....there's a risk....sometimes the wind ain't right" ... Jimi

now you're in my era...

 

[Milo]

Ka-POW



I want one!