The Pumpkin Head Prop

The materials that you will need to use in order to create the pumpkin head prop are:

1. Pumpkin

2. Pumpkin Scooper: used to get the pumpkin seeds out

3. Marker: help mark where to cut

4. Large Carving Knife: used when cutting off large portions of pumpkin

5. Small Carving Knife: used when making smaller cutting details

6. Fabric tape measure

7. Newspaper: to help contain the mess of the pumpkins

BEFORE you start cutting, take the circumference of the person's head.
Make sure to go around the nose too, for pumpkin to fit properly.

The circumference of our testers head was 22 in.

Picking the ideal pumpkin:

The circumference of your head + 15in = circumference of pumpkin 22in + 15in = 37in

The pumpkin we used was considered a “Medium” sized one which was around 38 inches

Circumference of head / (2 * 3.14) = Radius

After you get the circumference and radius, you need the diameter. Use the following equation to calculate the diameter:

Diameter = 2 * Radius

To make sure it fits correctly, add 2 inches to the diameter.

Make markings using the calculated radius for the head hole all around the pumpkin

Once you have the outline of the pumpkin done, lay out all the materials you will be using and lay the pumpkin down on some newspapers so you don’t make a mess!

Afterwards, lay the bottom of the pumpkin facing you and cut your outline for the bottom.

Once you cut the bottom of the pumpkin out, there are two options you can do:

1. You can use your hands and try to gut out the pumpkin

OR...

2. You can use a pumpkin scooper and make the process a lot easier and faster.

Once you have gutted out the inside of the pumpkin, have the user put the pumpkin on their head and make sure that it fits, so you don't lose any time later.

If it does not fit, cut the inside of the pumpkin more and try refitting the pumpkin on the users head once more until the user feels comfortable.

Once you have perfected the fit of the pumpkin, move to the eyes! (OBVIOUSLY NOT WHILE THE PERSON IS WEARING IT!)

To create the eye holes the easiest way is to wear the pumpkin and use your hand and eye coordination to find where your eyes will be and have someone mark them

Once you do that, you can draw out the rest of the pumpkin with the marker based off of the eyes that you created.

Begin cutting your pumpkin's face off and have the user put it on.

There you have it ladies and gentleman! You have just created your very own pumpkin head prop.

Happy Halloween! Take plenty of pictures!