Halloween Pumpkin-Carving Basics

Take Halloween pumpkin carving to a new level this year with our tips, tricks, and tools. Learn techniques to carve, sculpt, and decorate your jack-o'-lanterns.

Prep Your Pumpkin

Display the best jack-o'-lanterns in the neighborhood this year. Start by clicking through this slideshow to see easy-to-master pumpkin carving techniques, followed by the tools you'll need for the techniques.

Before you get carried away cutting, take care to prepare your pumpkin. Start with a room-temperature pumpkin. Draw a circle around the stem and cut around it to create a pumpkin lid. Next, dig in and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a large spoon. Then scrape the inner walls of the pumpkin until they are no more than 1-inch thick, which will make carving easier.

Next: Tools to Use