Free Harry Potter Pumpkin Stencil: Dementor and Patronus

This is a very simple Harry Potter pumpkin stencil that is really great for beginners. If you click on the image above you will be taken to a separate page where you can enlarge the sketch and print it out to use as your pumpkin stencil. The image is of Harry Potter's patronus, a stag, defending against a dementor. The Harry Potter pumpkin template can also be used by seasoned pumpkin carvers by adding the appropriate shadowing.

Pick the Right Pumpkin for Your Harry Potter Template

For this Harry Potter pumpkin stencil you should use an equally round pumpkin. You can take the image with you when you pick out your pumpkin to make sure your template fits on your pumpkin.

Carving Equipment for Your Harry Potter Pumpkin

Carving a pumpkin from a template takes patience. You need the right equipment to carve your Harry Potter pumpkin. You could purchase a pumpkin carving kit, but I have found that the plastic accessories in those kits break easily.

Instead of a pumpkin carving kit, get a couple of straight pins or a stapler. You will also need a sharp carving knife and a nail.

How to Carve Your Harry Potter Pumpkin for Beginners

For this Harry Potter stencil you will be cutting out the shaded parts of the pattern. It is important that you follow the edges of the dark parts so that those areas can be removed from your pumpkin. The shaded areas will become the lighted areas when your pumpkin is complete.

Cut out the top of your pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. If the sides are thick then you will need to scrape those also. This will make the walls thinner and the pattern will be easier to carve.

Use the straight pins or the stapler to attach your pattern to the pumpkin. Keep the paper as flat against the pumpkin as possible.

Use the nail to poke holes along the outside of the darkened lines of the pattern. You will be outlining the thick lines. Poke them close together so that you will be able to connect the dots when you are ready to cut out the pattern. Pay close attention to the thickness of the lines and poke your holes along each edge.

Carve your pumpkin by running the knife along the dots. If you poked the holes along both sides of the lines then you should be taking out strips of pumpkin for the dementor and the whole image of the patronus.

Create a Shadow Effect

Shadowing is more difficult to do because it requires peeling the layers of the pumpkin in order to bring out more detail. The more layers you peel the brighter the image is. Shadowing is best done in a dimmed room with a pumpkin light already inside the pumpkin so you can see how much light you are letting through as you carve.

To shadow the dementor you can follow the poking instructions above but instead of using a knife to cut along the dots you need to use it to scrape off the layers. You can give the dementor and the patronus more dimension if you decrease your layers as you go towards the edges of the darkened areas. You can also adjust the lighting around the patronus for a more dynamic effect.

Now you are ready to insert a pumpkin light and enjoy your Harry Potter pumpkin.

Additional Harry Potter Pumpkin Template: Hogwarts Castle