Pumpkin carving tips from a pro

Oct. 23--Brian J. Sullivan of Charlton has been carving pumpkins for more than 25 years, when he had a young family. His passion for the craft didn't wane when the kids got older.

Mr. Sullivan, an insurance underwriter by trade, taught himself how to carve the most intricate of shapes and images, from ghouls to presidents. For many years, he carved 40 to 50 pumpkins a year for the EcoTarium's annual Halloween display. He shared his pumpkin-carving tips in workshops. He searches the internet for patterns.

This year he is focusing on a Halloween display at the home of his daughter-in-law's parents on Bailin Drive in Worcester. He will carve 20 or so pumpkins in time for trick-or-treaters.

Mr. Sullivan took time out from his carving to share a few tips:

1) Get a good pumpkin and choose which side is best to carve. He likes tall, smooth pumpkins that are easy to use a pattern on.

2) Cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin near the top and clean the guts out. Don't cut off the top. It leaves a lid line visible when it is lighted.

3) Scrape the inside behind the face you plan to carve until the wall is thin. It will allow light to shine through.

4) Select a pattern. They can be bought in stores or found online at helpful sites like www.carvingpumpkins.com, www.zombiepumpkins.com, www.jamminpumpkins.com and www.pumpkinglow.com. You can find everything from patterns of ghouls to cartoon characters and famous and infamous Americans. For those looking to go a little wilder, www.extremepumpkins.com offers some extreme carving advice.

5) To transfer the pattern to the pumpkin, the best bet is to get your hands on some fabric transfer paper and place it under the pattern on the pumpkin. Then draw along the outline of the design, which the transfer paper will print onto the pumpkin. Keep the pattern handy to refer to when you are carving.

6) A good tool to use is a Speedball linoleum cutter. It has several blades for various cuts. It can be found at craft stores. Clay sculpting tools are best for finish work.

7) If you don't cut all the way through the pumpkin it will last longer. Soaking in water with a small amount of bleach will keep the creation fresh. It not only kills mold, but keeps away pesky squirrels and other rodents. However, bleach may lighten the pumpkin too much. Another possibility is to fill it with water and keep it in the fridge until it is time to display it.

8) Above all, have fun.

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