Style 4+ is Style 4 with one big upgrade: sculpting.
Everything is the same: pumpkin skin as the darkest shade, scraped pumpkin glowing in the middle, and bright light shining through sawed holes at the brightest. But now instead of one flat shade, you carve deeper into certain areas so the glow goes from dim to bright. Areas close to a sawed hole get carved deeper and glow brighter. Areas close to the pumpkin skin are left shallower and stay dimmer. That range of glow between the two is what makes these carvings look so lifelike and three-dimensional.
(Photo: Thrilling portrait carved by a friend I taught, in Style 4+.)
The same cautions from Style 4 apply. Watch the pumpkin’s structure and follow the preservation tips in Part 8. After you see your finished carving, you’ll want to do everything you can to make it last.
Sculpting can be the most time-consuming step, so give yourself 4 hours or more. This is typically the longest style to carve.
Shades: 3. One shade goes from dim to bright (pumpkin skin + scraped glow + light through holes).
Pros:
- Most lifelike, three-dimensional results of any style.
- Incredible detail.
Cons:
- Longest carving time (4+ hours).
- Large holes can make pumpkin fragile.
- Pumpkin rots faster where holes are cut.
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