Before You Begin
Coming up with your Jack-o-Lantern idea
- Be creative and incorporate your favorite things about Halloween - witches, ghosts, robots, werewolves, vampires or other spooky things from your imagination!
- You don't have to create a traditional Jack-O-Lantern face to enter - consider options like shapes, landscapes or other scenes. Just make sure it's family friendly and not obscene, offensive, suggestive or inappropriate (these creations will be disqualified).
- Don't risk getting disqualified by relying on a trademarked or copyrighted brand, image, likeness, etc., as doing so will get your submission plucked from the patch (a nice way of saying "not eligible for the contest").
- Just because it's a duct tape Jack-O-Lantern doesn't mean you can't break out the traditional carving tools. Use your imagination... but don't forget: you're being judged on the quantity of duct tape used as well.
Picking your colors
- Duck® brand duct tape is available in more than 20 colors and patterns, including our newest additions: Hot Rod™, Cosmic Tie-Dye™, Zig-Zag Zebra™, and Spotted Leopard™.
- We also have traditional Halloween colors for your consideration. Black, orange, purple and Island Lime® (fluorescent green) are great choices for Halloween purists.
- When selecting your colors, consider your end result. For example, will it center on a theme that dictates specific colors?
- Before you completely cover your pumpkin with every color imaginable, remember: you are being judged on use of color, including how well the colors coordinate together. So remember, be creative and harmonious.
Making your Jack-O-Lantern
- Choose your canvas well - you can use a real or artificial (fake) pumpkin.
- Consider your design before selecting your pumpkin - do you need a small, medium, large or extra-large pumpkin? Should it be plump and round, tall and thin, or some other shape? Do you need a big stem, small stem or no stem at all?
- Be sure to give your Jack-O-Lantern a personality - scary, fun, wacky or just plain awesome!
- Don't forget to accessorize - does your Jack-O-Lantern needs arms and legs? How about a hat or full costume? Remember to get creative.
- Consider what tools and other materials you'll need to finish your creation...it doesn't have to be 100-percent duct tape!
- Most importantly, don't forget to clean the dirt off your pumpkin before you begin and allow it to fully dry. Doing this will help the duct tape stick better to your pumpkin's surface.
