Photograph by Susan Wilson
William E. Wilson, owner of Wicked Designz Carving in Fairfield and the artist behind the pumpkin on our October cover, shares his top tips for your jack-o’- lanterns this Halloween.
Choose the right canvas: Make sure to choose a pumpkin that best fits your design vision. “Not everything you’re going to want to do on a pumpkin is going to fit, especially if you’re writing something out,” Wilson says. “Go to the pumpkin patch with an idea.”
Choose the right tools: While many people, including Wilson, grew up carving their pumpkins with kitchen knives, they won’t produce professional results. He recommends clay tools to carve, specifically the clay ribbon tools, which are available at most craft stores.
Find a good place to carve: As with all things, location is key. Pumpkin carving is messy business, so find a space to let your creativity go wild. “Get yourself a nice table, get outside, and then get into it.”
It’s OK to use super glue: Mistakes happen, and super glue is the preferred way to mend carving errors or add additional sculpted features. “Super glue is one of the best things that I’ve ever come across in the pumpkin carving world.”
You can watch Wilson carve it up with the pros on Carvers & Creators. Catch the live episode at 4 p.m. EDT Thursday, October 6 here.
See more of Wilson’s impressive gourd-carving below:
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