Ray Villafane's Pumpkins

By Ray Villafane

Some of the most ghoulish creations from “the Picasso of pumpkin carving”—as seen on Bored Panda, the Food Network, and The Martha Stewart Show (The Wall Street Journal).
 
Ray Villafane’s 3-D pumpkin carvings have taken the world by storm—and have set a high bar for Halloween. From his teaching days creating custom pumpkins for his students to carving for the president at the White House, Ray has used his style, talent, and creativity to raise pumpkin “carving” to an art. As you admire the pumpkins within these pages, you’ll be inspired to pick up your own tools and follow Ray’s advice and tips on creating one-of-a-kind Halloween decorations. Sculpted into haunting humans, fantastical fish, and menacing monsters, Ray’s pumpkin transformations will put a grin on your face—and give you a new appreciation for the seasonal squash. 
 
“The Michelangelo of pumpkin carving.”—Martha Stewart
 
“The world’s foremost pumpkin carver.”—USA Today
 
“Ray Villafane takes pumpkin carving to another level.”—The Telegraph
 
“Terrifyingly cool pumpkin carvings.”—Bored Panda

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Aug 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781423624271

Book preview

Acknowledgments

A tremendous thanks goes to all of my students in Bellaire Schools, for their excitement and encouragement that made the whole experience fun for me. Much thanks goes to Russell Bolt, of Bolt Farms in Ellsworth, Michigan, for providing me with many years of ideal pumpkins for my early carvings. A big thanks also goes to Gerald Johnson of Johnson Farms in Saginaw, Michigan, for the pumpkin opportunities through the years as well. More recent thanks goes to Darryl Pierce in New Zealand, for his hospitality in allowing me into his home as well as giving me free rein of his pumpkin patch. Huge gratitude goes to Wendy and the Aiello family for their gracious donations of the picks of the litter at the outstanding Uesugi Pumpkin Farm in San Martin, California, which incidentally provides the most perfect pumpkins for my carving

Reviews for Ray Villafane's Pumpkins

[mstrust · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You may know Villafane from his appearances on The Food Network's Halloween Challenge. He's the team pumpkin carver who has won twice. When not in pumpkin season, he's a professional sculptor, and his incredible skill shows in his pumpkins. This book has a 10 step tutorial on pumpkin carving with sculpting tools, then displays full page examples of his amazing work. He even carves pores into the skin for a really life-like result.