Creating the Stencil

• 1). Trace the optical illusion onto a sheet of paper. Shade any areas that were black on the original optical illusion. If the illusion has areas that are mostly black but have a few tiny patches of white for shading, such as certain portrayals of "Old or Young," shade them entirely black in your pattern and check to make sure that this does not ruin the illusion. It will be easier to carve the pumpkin if the area is solid black.
  
  
• 2). Study your picture to determine whether the white or the black sections should represent areas where you cut away the pumpkin entirely. If you are using an illusion that is primarily a white figure outlined in black, such as "Donkey Seal" or "Old or Young," you will want to cut away the black sections. You will also want to cut away black sections if the pattern is a black figure on a white background, such as "Jazz Musician or Face." If the picture is a white image on a black background such as "Faces or Vase," however, you will want to cut away the white sections.
  
  
• 3). Review your picture to make sure there are no "floating" sections in the color you will not cut away -- black sections surrounded entirely by white if you intend to cut away white, or white sections surrounded entirely by black if you intend to cut away black. These areas represent chunks of pumpkin that would have to float in midair. If you see any of these sections, connect them to areas of their own color so they no longer float. Do this by erasing tiny sections from lines or black sections to connect floating white sections to other white areas, or by drawing thin lines to connect floating black sections to other black areas.
  
  
• 4). Examine your pattern to make sure that the lines you added or erased do not ruin the illusion. If they do, redraw it and try drawing or erasing different lines, or use a different illusion for your pumpkin.
  
  
• 5). Cut diagonal lines from the corners of your paper toward the pattern. Do not cut the pattern itself. These cuts will allow you to lay the pattern flat against the surface of the pumpkin.
  
  

Carving

• 1). Cut a lid away from the top of the pumpkin with the butcher knife. Angle the knife inward slightly so the top of the lid is wider than the bottom, preventing the lid from falling into the pumpkin. Cut a notch crossing from the lid to the side of the pumpkin so you will be able to line up the lid properly when you replace it later.
  
  
• 2). Place the pumpkin on the newspaper or drop cloth. Scoop out the seeds and strings with a metal spoon. Scrape the bottom of the pumpkin with the edge of the spoon until it is relatively flat so you can safely rest a candle or pumpkin light there.
  
  
• 3). Locate a surface of the pumpkin that is relatively flat, with no scars or other blemishes. This will be your carving surface.
  
  
• 4). Scrape away the rind from the interior of the carving surface until it is thin enough for you to see light shining through it. This will make it easier for you to carve.
  
  
• 5). Pin the stencil to the carving surface. Poke holes along the lines with the thin nail. The holes should be no more than 1/4-inch apart. When you have outlined the entire stencil on the surface of the pumpkin, remove the stencil, keeping it nearby for reference.
  
  
• 6). Hold the carving saw as you would a pencil. Cut away the black or white sections of your pattern depending on which you chose while making the stencil, using a gentle sawing motion. Cut away smaller sections first, followed by larger sections. If you have to cut away a particularly large piece, such as in "Faces or Vase" or "Jazz Musician or Face," you may want to cut it away in several smaller sections so your pumpkin will not break.