Free Jack-o'-Lantern Patterns

Carve Your Pumpkin the Easy Way

Written by
David Beaulieu
David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries.
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David Beaulieu
Updated 06/01/20

If you are not that much of an artist, then you may be intimidated by the thought of painting or of carving your own pumpkin with a face that strays in any meaningful way from the old standby (triangular eyes, etc.). If that describes you, then you will find these free jack-o'-lantern patterns quite handy.

Just print out the page (Ctrl + P on Windows), pick out a face that appeals to you, and cut it out with a pair of scissors. Cut out the black areas in the face. The face is now ready to use as a Halloween stencil or template.

To use it as a stencil, tape the face onto your pumpkin. With a paintbrush, dab black paint onto the areas of the pumpkin's flesh revealed by the cut-outs. Let the paint dry before removing the stencil.

But you can also treat it as a template. To do so, again, tape the piece of paper onto your pumpkin. Trace the features onto your pumpkin and take the stencil off. Remove the flesh in the targeted areas using an Exacto knife. Alternatively, just slice right through the cut-out areas and into your pumpkin's flesh with the knife, skipping the tracing step. When the flesh to be removed is loose enough, push it through. It will drop into the inside of the pumpkin. If you cut off the top of your pumpkin to create a lid, then you can reach inside and easily remove the fallen pieces.

These free carving stencils should give you plenty of ideas for carving jack-o'-lanterns. Modify the printable patterns to suit your own tastes (because tastes do vary). Some people will be more interested in scarier pumpkin stencils. Also, you can always change the size if you feel like drawing out the stencil, rather than printing it out. These stencils will create a face that is about 7 inches high and 8.5 inches wide.

  • 01 of 07

    Jack-o'-Lantern Pattern With Jagged Smile

    jagged jack-o-lantern face.
    David Beaulieu

    Only pumpkins (with their jack-o'-lantern faces put on) and boxers are supposed to have jagged smiles. The pumpkin here is a classic in this regard. He does, however, have rounded eyes, rather than the classic triangular eyes.

  • 02 of 07

    Scowling Jack-o'-Lantern Stencil

    Stencil of a scowling face for a pumpkin.
    David Beaulieu

    The jack-o'-lantern face in this printable Halloween pumpkin stencil or template has a scowl a mile long. It makes for a better design than the first example if you are looking to create a grim mood. The resulting jack-o'-lantern would be perfect to complement a Halloween yard display featuring a Grim Reaper figure.

    Carve or paint his long scowl onto a Halloween pumpkin and put a scare into the Trick or Treaters! The size of this free Halloween pumpkin stencil or template is about right for a jack-o'-lantern of a medium-size.

  • 03 of 07

    Jack-o'-Lantern Sticking His Tongue Out

    Jack-o-lantern face with a tongue sticking out.
    David Beaulieu

    The jack-o'-lantern face in this free Halloween pumpkin design sports a wrinkled forehead and has his tongue hanging out. He is dorkier than he is scary. Perhaps he is a bit winded from chasing away unwary Trick or Treaters.

  • 04 of 07

    Werewolf Pumpkin Pattern

    Template to use to carve a werewolf jack-o-lantern.
    David Beaulieu

    If you are you tired of using the same old painted jack-o'-lantern for pumpkin carving every Halloween, then use this werewolf pumpkin pattern as a stencil or template to create a cool design on a jack-o'-lantern this fall. While a werewolf is usually a scary figure, this one is rather friendly-looking. It would make for a good jack-o'-lantern for a young child who is not quite ready for "fright night" yet.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below.
  • 05 of 07

    Scary Pumpkin With Down-Turned Mouth

    Scary pumpkin pattern with down-turned mouth.
    David Beaulieu

    This is one mean-looking pumpkin face. As difficult a character as he may seem, though, he is very easy to print out and use as a stencil or template for your Halloween pumpkin. Just trace the face onto your Halloween masterpiece in the making, and carve or paint. It is a simple way for beginners to get into the Halloween decorating spirit.

  • 06 of 07

    Fall Pumpkin Face Expressing Contentment

    Pattern to carve on a pumpkin: contented face.
    David Beaulieu

    Not all fall pumpkin faces need to be scary. The jack-o'-lantern here bears a rather contented-looking face. He is a good choice if you like Halloween decorations that are more amusing than they are scary.

  • 07 of 07

    Medusa Pumpkin Face

    Medusa pattern to use for carving pumpkins.
    David Beaulieu

    Medusa artwork is a natural for Halloween, as the gorgon is easily associated with Halloween witches.

    Use this Medusa pumpkin-face template as a guideline to do your carving or painting on a medium-sized pumpkin or hard-shell gourd. The latter is a great substitute for a pumpkin if you want your ornament to last for a long time.