Image via Complex Original
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Halloween! Yes!
Slutty costumes. Wild parties. And, of course, awesome carved pumpkins. Everyone likes Halloween. It is a time to toss away inhibition and get a little weird. For some, it is also a time to flex knife skills and prove gourd carving genius.
With that in mind, we present the 50 Craziest Carved Pumpkins Ever!
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50. Olympic Rings
Here's an inventive way of reminding kids not too consume outlandish amounts of candy. Want to make the Olympic Games, kid dressed as Michael Phelps? Eating healthy is a start.
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49. Apple Logo
Not too crazy, but we're betting a lot of these will hit America's streets later this month. RIP Steve Jobs.
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48. Darth Vader
Star Wars characters make for classic pumpkins. When the carving is crisp, Star Wars characters also make for some of the craziest carved pumpkins ever.
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46. Parental Advisory
This pumpkin rules for two reasons. 1. We love classic hip-hop related items. 2. It is the perfect pumpkin for potentially warding off annoying callers. An award winner in 2010.
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45. Witch
Creative carving means changing up the pumpkins stance sometimes. Here, the stem plays the role of nose. Outstanding result, even if the carving isn't as precise as we'd like.
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44. Rick Ross
There is always space for a celebrity portrait pumpkin. This stylized Rozay kills. Imagine this, also, as a chain. Could be a great Halloween prop.
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43. Stems As Noses
Remember the awesome Witch pumpkin? Obviously. Here's another brilliant example of using the pumpkin stem for dramatic effect. Three creepy faces.
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42. Drowning Pumpkin
If you can't really carve, you get creative. Here's an amazing example. Drown that pumpkin and make the most of props you might have laying around. Design is about solutions. This is design x pumpkin carving.
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41. Jumpman
One for the sneaker heads. We'd probably give all our candy to a kid dressed as Tinker Hatfield.
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40. Hamburger Pumpkin
This goes out to the foodies. Smart use of a full pumpkin (note pumpkin seeds working double time). Extra props if the other portions are made of other gourds. Awesome regardless.
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39. Snowman Pumpkin
Mixing seasons ain't always bad. Stack up a few pumpkins to create a snowman. Make sure there is requisite carnage to ensure it matches the spirit of the holiday. And, bam, you got something awesome on the lawn (which may piss off neighbors). Leave it until Christmas.
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38. Wu-Tang Pumpkin
Anything Wu related is awesome.
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37. Homer Simpson
Love the delicate nature of this portrait. Solid eyes. And, we also love Homer.
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36. Kanye Bear
College Dropout steez.
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35. Big Pumpkin Eats Little Pumpkin
Creative use of small and large pumpkins. File under: pumpkin carving humor.
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34. Cheeky Pumpkin
Try not to laugh at this one. We dare you. One of 2007's finest carvings.
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33. Kanye West
Glow in the Dark steez.
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32. Bulbaseur from Pokeman
Cartoons are natural fodder for pumpkin carving. Here's a great example. Kid friendly. Complex approved.
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30. Weezy F. Baby
Solid hand lettering goes along way in turning an average carving into an awesome pumpkin. Props due also for employing the zip sweatshirt in the portrait of Wayne.
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29. Jay Z
Only fitting to rank Mr. Carter one above The Carter. Nice use of Yankee fitted here too. Props!
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27. Manny Ramirez
One fall classic deserves another. This tribute to the Red Sox is all in the details. Sure, Manny is now retired, but we still respect the skill involved in carving this pumpkin.
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26. Chewbacca
More Star Wars related excellence on a pumpkin. Takes a steady hand to carve Chewbacca right.
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25. Beer
Basically, a visual reminder of what we wish people handed out to folks trick or treating.
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23. Tribal Face Pumpkin
Hitting all switches, this pumpkin utilizes a traditional face and kicks it up with all-over tribal carving. The result makes an average look a little special.
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22. Obama
Halloween is no time for politics. However, ignoring the excellence of this Obama caricature is just plain silly.
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20. Headless Horseman
Negative space is important to good pumpkin carving. Note how this classic is rendered and how the use of light helps make the whole thing pop.
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19. Chesire Cat
For some, Halloween is an adventure in wonderland. So, why not utilize a popular figure from Lewis Carroll's famed children's tale? The use of several pumpkins makes this particularly awesome.
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18. Sad Face
Get used to seeing pumpkins carved by Ray Villafane. He's the best. His detailing is crazy. You will recognize it when you see it. Also, worth noting how great a pumpkin can be without the added glow of a candle.
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16. King Kong
Bananas! This King Kong tribute strikes the nail. Beautifully carved and full of dynamic details.
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14. Spilled Brains
Getting the most out of a pumpkin is the basic difference between great and just ok. Here we see magnificent carving paired with exceptional creativity. Again, this is all about making more out of a Halloween staple... spilled innards.
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12. Skull
Classic theme. Mind blowing pumpkin. Ray Villafane is a genius. Don't believe it? Keep clicking.
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11. Michael Jackson
"Thriller" is kind of the official music video of Halloween. This portrait pumpkin is all about that moment in MJ's career. It is also exquisite in rendering.
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10. Drunk Pumpkin
Adult Halloween is all about a good party. So, naturally, we're into carvings that reflect our current holiday reality. High marks for utilizing the pumpkin seed as prop. Proof, also, that a great carved pumpkin need not always be beautifully carved.
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9. Yoda
Yoda. Always a great costume. In this case, the little guy translates to a completely amazing pumpkin.
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8. New York Skyline
This pumpkin gets high ranking for complexity. With some creative layering, the skyline really sings and when a candle flickers within it is a proper head turner.
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7. Gremlins
Yes, we love a solid pop culture inspired pumpkin. Gremlins is a favorite, for sure, but the nature of this carving (with a little trimmed off the body) proves that the art isn't just about poking holes in a gourd.
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6. Break Out Face
Pumpkin carving skills on display to an ridiculous degree. Yeah, the face is BREAKING OUT of the pumpkin. Wow.
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5. Scary Face
Big, bold full pumpkin carving. Does it scare you? Perhaps not. Does it thrill? Hell yes.
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4. Hidden Carving
Most carved pumpkins how the art in an up-front manner. This flips the script. The genius is all on the inside. Stunning work and, heck, Halloween should really be all about surprises, right?
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3. Where The Wild Things Are
Who doesn't love Maurice Sendak's classic children's book? The "Wild Things" are perfect for Halloween, and when they reach this level of articulation are perfect for pumpkins. Done in 2009.
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2. Haunted Carousel
Carved by Karen T. from Fort Worth, Texas, in 2010. This pumpkin is all about understanding how to maximize the perfect size and shape for an all-around design. The top is held up by skewers. Outstanding idea.
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1. Predator
Ray Villafane is hands down the king of pumpkin carving. His ghoulish creations run the gamut from vikings to this tremendously frightening pumpkin. Born in Queens, Ray's been featured on Martha Stewart's television show and his custom carvings start at $400. Villafane crushes competition at Food Network challenges, so naturally he gets the nod from us for carving the craziest pumpkin ever. We could easily just do a top 50 of this dudes work. For real.