Pumpkin carving vs. pumpkin painting

Photo illustration by Kylee Weber

Halloween is just around the corner and approaching fast. Still haven’t bought a pumpkin and decorated it? I am here to give you some ideas of painting or carving a pumpkin to keep your stress levels low and creativity high.

There are a few ways students can decorate pumpkins. The main two are painting and the classic carving. Painting a pumpkin is a creative way to decorate and use a splash of color to spice up your room. Carving a pumpkin is the classic way of decorating for Halloween, creating a unique design, carving your favorite spooky saying or making your favorite character. These ideas are timeless, and there are so many different ways we can decorate a pumpkin for this Halloween.

To paint a pumpkin, first you need to find your inspiration. This can be a design, a character, a color or even something completely random. That is the good thing about painting a pumpkin, it is always unique and you can’t do it wrong. If you are anything like me and can’t stand the feeling of pumpkin guts, or you’re just not good at carving, painting is the way to go. Here are some good ideas for painting a pumpkin:

You can be creative and put a design on your pumpkin. Last year I made a “Puzzled pumpkin”; I painted a bunch of puzzle pieces on my pumpkin and gave it a creative name. This was a time-consuming project but worth it in the end.

Another idea for painting a pumpkin is to create your favorite character. I have yet to attempt this project, but they always turn out so fun and spooky. These characters can have a special meaning to you, or you just enjoyed their look on a pumpkin the best. By far the best character pumpkin I have seen is Mike Wazowski from “Monsters, Inc.”

To carve a pumpkin is a little different than painting. This takes patience and attention to detail. In the past when I have carved a pumpkin, I have always used a stencil or a picture to trace over. I am not the best when it comes to free-hand carving -- and if you are, props to you. I find it amazing that people who carve can become so creative with their designs.

Carving a pumpkin can be exciting, especially if you are into the spooky season. You can never go wrong with the classic Jack O’ Lantern face. These have been a unique classic that people can put their own twist on.

Whatever you decide to do this year with your pumpkin, remember to think outside the box and really put thought into your design. These designs not only make you happy but those around you happy. Pumpkins are a classic representation of the fall season and Halloween. Put your spooky thinking cap on and create a terrific design, or terrifying design. Whichever one you do have a fun time doing it and be sure to upload a picture and tag us here at The Campus. Happy Halloween!