Halloween is made for geeks, as we’ve said before, and I think these awesome Halloween pumpkin carving ideas prove it. Yes, if you’re a professional artist with a shed-full of carving tools you can do some more complex designs, but I like these for the perfect combo of ease and coolness.
Pumpkin Pi (above)
This might win on clever title alone. Nice job, MathManDan. Also? Faster than carving the actual digits of Pi.
Minecraft Creeper Pumpkins
The instructions are all at Alpha Mom. The trick is using gourds like green pumpkins and acorn squash–though you could probably spray paint a regular pumpkin too.
Emoticon Halloween Pumpkins
Greated for Think Geek’s annual pumpkin carving template contest, we love this easy idea from mom Leah Tucker that looks great in a grouping. Emotipumpkins!
DIY Glitter Sphero Pumpkin
If you’re familiar with the cult robotic toy, Sphero, this DIY to replicate it on a pumpkin pretty sweet, at Instructibles. It mostly takes glitter, Mod Podge or Elmer’s, a foam brush, and a vacuum because you’ll be cleaning glitter out of the corners of your home forever.
Candy Crush Halloween Pumpkins
Again at Alpha Mom, free downloadable stencil PDFS and really explicit instructions help you create Tiffi and Mr. Toffee. The only issue is it makes me want to put down the carving knife and play one game. (Just one game! Pleeeeease…)
Grumpy Cat Halloween Pumpkin
If Internet memes will not be lost on your neighborhood trick-or-treaters, check out this great painted pumpkin DIY from The Swell Life inspired by everyone’s favorite Grumpy Cat. The felt ears totally make it.
Pac Man Pumpkin
This is a timeless idea (at least since the early 80’s) and there are lots of impressive options. But the easiest: Grab some paint, and add in a few mini pumpkins as power pills. This one via ZeldaFanWithATacoXD (ha) on Deviant Art.
Fish School App Pumpkin
Based on one of our favorite apps from Duck Duck Moose, this “App-O-Lantern” submission by Nicci Gabriel isn’t quite a beginner design, but it’s so adorable for the preschool set–and more age-appropriate than say oh…Grand Theft Auto 7. You can also skip the carving and just paint if it’s easier. Which it is.
