I'm old-fashioned, I guess. With a sharp Kabar, I can carve a satisfactory Jack-O-Lantern in three minutes flat -- including clearing the insides of muck.
That is impressive pumpkin carving, but they are clearly not jack-o-lanterns- excepting perhaps one. They are fine sculptures, but part of what a jack-o-lantern is is a lantern- and how it looks with the outside dark and light coming from within is critical. For starters, the artist/craftsman needs an understanding of light transmission through the pumpkin flesh, and negative composition, because the light is transmitted from within. Any pumpkin carving that's formed more in the interest of form itself than in qualities of light isn't much of a jack-o-lantern in my book. Add in that if you don't have any holes, you make structural issues mostly go away, and if you're a good sculptor, you can make fancy carved pumpkins too.
As for my own, last year I had a little time to work on one, and I liked the way it came out. If you care to see it, it's here.
I have a friend who professionally carves jack-o-lanterns that would fit your definition Douglas. I think her work is most impressive, and this year, she actually got major corporations (e.g. Hyundai) to buy custom made pumpkins for their Halloween parties.
Sadly, but perhaps not surprisingly, their request was for a very plain jane set of corporate logos rather than for some of her more elaborate work.
Buncha buzzkills, you guyz. I prefer the backlit ones, too, but this sculptor was too talented to pass by. His day job is making grotesque action figures. He goes around to schoolrooms trying to inspire little kids to hack away at pumpkins. His wife has gotten used to his grabbing all the produce and whittling away at it before he eats it.
I can draw OK, but haven't any knack for 3D modeling. I'm pleased there are people who can do this.
We went for old fashioned jack-o-lanterns down here. This year I remembered to cut the fiddley bits before the big chunks, so I didn't have to go back with toothpicks and fix the little bits that ripped/got cut by accident.
I'm old-fashioned, I guess. With a sharp Kabar, I can carve a satisfactory Jack-O-Lantern in three minutes flat -- including clearing the insides of muck.
ReplyDeleteThat is impressive pumpkin carving, but they are clearly not jack-o-lanterns- excepting perhaps one. They are fine sculptures, but part of what a jack-o-lantern is is a lantern- and how it looks with the outside dark and light coming from within is critical. For starters, the artist/craftsman needs an understanding of light transmission through the pumpkin flesh, and negative composition, because the light is transmitted from within. Any pumpkin carving that's formed more in the interest of form itself than in qualities of light isn't much of a jack-o-lantern in my book. Add in that if you don't have any holes, you make structural issues mostly go away, and if you're a good sculptor, you can make fancy carved pumpkins too.
ReplyDeleteAs for my own, last year I had a little time to work on one, and I liked the way it came out. If you care to see it, it's here.
I have a friend who professionally carves jack-o-lanterns that would fit your definition Douglas. I think her work is most impressive, and this year, she actually got major corporations (e.g. Hyundai) to buy custom made pumpkins for their Halloween parties.
ReplyDeleteSadly, but perhaps not surprisingly, their request was for a very plain jane set of corporate logos rather than for some of her more elaborate work.
Buncha buzzkills, you guyz. I prefer the backlit ones, too, but this sculptor was too talented to pass by. His day job is making grotesque action figures. He goes around to schoolrooms trying to inspire little kids to hack away at pumpkins. His wife has gotten used to his grabbing all the produce and whittling away at it before he eats it.
ReplyDeleteI can draw OK, but haven't any knack for 3D modeling. I'm pleased there are people who can do this.
PS -- Excellent JOL, Douglas!
ReplyDeleteWe went for old fashioned jack-o-lanterns down here. This year I remembered to cut the fiddley bits before the big chunks, so I didn't have to go back with toothpicks and fix the little bits that ripped/got cut by accident.
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1
Thanks Tex, and sorry to harsh your post- the carvings are excellent, but I'm a nitpicker and traditionalist, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteMike, any chance your friend has a website? It would be interesting to see her work.