Did you see this announcement on Graceland.com a couple of weeks ago? I’m going to enter it, and maybe I’ll win the $100 prize.
Too bad I didn’t enter the first Elvis Pumpkin Contest back in 2012 when the prize was $250. Wonder why they cut it back?
ElvisBlog usually has an Elvis/Halloween post each year, and some of them have featured pumpkins carved with his image. The first was back in 2008, so unless you dig deep into the archives, you likely haven’t seen most of these. So here is a look at the best of the Elvis Pumpkins from those posts.
I wanted to start with this one for two reasons. First, it is just an outstanding design. And, second, it is an example of what seems to be becoming a lost art – cutting completely through the shell to make the image.
This is equally outstanding work, but here only the outer dark shell is carved away. Light inside the pumpkin shines through the thinner yellow membrane to show off the design. Here are nine more designs using this technique.
Here’s yet another carving technique where the design is revealed in relief by cutting away the thick pumpkin shell to different depths.
The next design seems to be some advanced technique that involves copying an Elvis image to the pumpkin and possible even adding colors. The white on the jumpsuit just doesn’t look like something you get naturally from the pumpkin. Kind of seems like cheating. (Editor’s note: The “seems like cheating” reference here was in bad judgement. I should have quit after “just doesn’t look like something you get naturally from the pumpkin,” because that is true. This design was carved on a foam craft pumpkin bought at Michael’s Hobby Shop. Check out the comment below from the carver, Bryan Moore, who describes the whole process and many other interesting things. Sorry, Bryan.)
So, we’ve seen four different techniques for Elvis pumpkin decorating. I have a fifth one that I will submit to the contest.
It helps if you own your own personal granite Elvis bust. Wish me luck.
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