Pumpkin Cuts?

Stopped by the Studio briefly this afternoon, where I advanced the latest box a few more steps and picked up some carving tools. Not my good woodcut tools, but rather some linocut tools, since today I wouldn't be cutting wood, but instead a pumpkin. The BAC held a pumpkin carving contest and I decided to sign up. I arrived, picked out a nice pumpkin, and sat down to work. The only problem- I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do. I had considered cutting a scene, from art, or of local interest. One that I took as far as doing a sketch was a version of Albert Pinkham Ryder's Death on a Pale Horse, which I adapted as a woodcut previously. However, in the end I decided to adapt a different artwork- one of my own. I had a postcard version of my multi-block color woodcut Aldo Rico (partly visible in the 3rd photo), which is an adaptation of a painting from my undergrad years. That painting is based on a newspaper photograph.

Having figured out how to break the design down into 3 basic tones, I turned my attention to the pumpkin. I cut out the top and gutted it. I started by sketching the eyes/nose area at the scale that I wanted, then used a steak knife to do rough cuts of all the areas that would be completely removed. Took a soup break (potato), then broke out my linocut tools to remove the skin from some areas, to create the mid-tones in my artwork. Took a chili break, then some final touches on my jack-o'-lantern. I put it on the judging table, where a lit candle was inserted. All those present voted for the best pumpkin. When all was counted, I was awarded 2nd place. To see more pumpkins and scenes of the event, click here.