pumpkin

It sure is.

Title: Heart and Soul Medium: illustration pens on sketch book paper Style: surreal Category: illustration Created: Dec-Jan 2024-2024 Artist: Stephen J. Vattimo Heart and Soul This is preliminary drawing for a painting I am about to begin. The concept for this illustration started as a design for a pumpkin carving contest. I feel the message of the design is so important for people to hear, I decided to make it into a painting. The original design, done in pen and ink. The design only shows the two doors of the entrance to a fortress. It was designed for a live pumpkin carving event in mind. At this type of event, the carver must create their piece of art live on site with spectators watching and asking questions, and there is a time limit. The evolution of the design? I added a wall on each side of the entrance, with matching pillars. Explaining the design of the pillars The triangle top: the triune God. Representing three persons of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The cross shape opening in the pillars: The cross is the only path to God, to have the debt of sin satisfied. To reconcile humankind back to himself. To be released from being a slave to the Devil. To be a new creation empowered by God Spirit. Explaining the design of the entrance way(gate) The top of the entrance is in the shape of a heart, represents the seat of human passion, ambition, and allegiance. The cultic three petal flower is used to represent God in three persons united. The symbol inside the flower: God’s ministry toward humankind. Crown: Highest authority Cross: God’s loving salvation and restoration plan. The dove: Spiritualty made alive, fellowship with God, empowerment to weather the storm of life, and equip for service to God. Change in the design of the door. In the original design, one door had roses carved on it. The pattern took up the whole door. The other door had a grape vine carved on it. The pattern took up the whole door. I modified the emblem on the doors by making them smaller and simplified, so I could place them inside heart shapes, so the new images would more clearly communicate what they are meant to represent. I also added color to the emblems(color pencil) to make them clear of what they are, because of their size and the ink medium ,they were hard to interpret. Understanding the symbol of the two doors. The door with the rose inside the heart emblem represents a heart whose passions, ambitiousness, allegiance are focused on the cares, worries, and abstaining riches of the world. Only giving God lip service. I chose the rose to represent the heart of spiritual allegiance to the world, because roses are pretty, but you can’t eat them to nourish your body. They also have thorns that can cause injury to the body. So, the parallel point is, just as flower fade and turn to dust, so will the person who chases the thing of the world and has no time for God. For life is very short, we know not which will be our last breath on this side of eternity. But if a person leaves this earth without excepting the gift God offered them which is salvation from penalty of sin and given enteral life through the work that was done on the cross by God’s son. Then that soul will appear before Jesus, and just as they did not know him in their life on earth, He will tell them he knows them not. Into the lake of fire, they will spend eternity. The door with the grape vine in the heart emblem represents a heart whose passions, ambitiousness, allegiance are for God. To know Him intimately, to obey His teachings, to serve his will. I chose the grapevine to represent the heart of spiritual allegiance to God, because grapes are nourishing to the body. Jesus also used a grape vine in one of his parables. He paralleled the spiritual relationship he had with his disciples and the grapevine. He told them just as branches of a vine must depend on the base of the vine to live and bare fruit, so they must abide him to have abundant life. Abiding in Christ is not a religious act. It is outside of religion. It is an intimate relationship. Example: you can belong to a fan club of Paul McCartney and know a lot of things you have heard about him, but he doesn’t even know you exist. Where, if Paul is your father, and you have a good parent to child relationship, then you know him intimately. So, abiding in God, we commune with him through read his word and living by its teachings. It is spending time in prayer. Sharing our hearts with God and spending time listing to him. Trusting in him as our provider and giving thanks for his provision. Living our lives, with the purpose of pleasing him with the work of our hand and loving our neighbors in the workplace as well as in the community. Just as a healthy grapevine continues to grow and produce much fruit. Having an imitate relationship with God should be more and more evident in the way we live our lives. So, when the angel of death pays you an unexpected visit, he escorts you to Jesus’s throne, you know for certain he going to welcome you with loving arms and said welcome home my faithful servant. Now to which door I chose for my life? It’s the one that is open. This bible verse one of a couple that inspired me to design this illustration. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 King James Version 12 Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. This verse is not referring to the rebellious people who have rejected God, this is referring to people who are children of God, who failed to serve God faithful. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo. 3 Jan 2024 .

Fobbles used to be afraid of pumpkins, until he learned that you can carve faces and other shapes into said gourds to make jack-o-lanterns. And thus, he now raises pumpkins for a living.

October Drawing Challenge 2022 day 3: pumpkin

One of my favorite times of the year is Autumn. It’s a time that reminds me how blessed I am for the rich friendships I have in my life. It’s also a time I enjoy making new memories with relatives I have a deep emotional bond. And for some reason, pumpkins symbolizes this wealth of love I have for these loved ones. Maybe because orange is a passionate color for me. Or maybe because the color orange is abundant during this season when warm a fuzzy feelings show up when I’m with my loved ones. This hue is in pumpkins, persimmons, hot apple cider beverages, cinnamon spice on pies or lattes, and the obvious autumn leaves. But my focus for this illustration were big, fat pumpkins. I love hugging and squeezing them and feeling it’s cold flesh on my skin. I look forward to my next bite of pumpkin pie from our very good friend, Terry, who makes them very excellently!

Fall work

...with spider ice cream

This is a pumpkin design I carved for the 2015 Chads Ford Pa. Historical Society's Great Pumpkin Carve. This years design was a upright dove with out stretched wing, and it's bottom portion becomes an upside down bat with it's wing outstretched . I entitled it Peace And Terror. It represents the two realities most countries around the world are experiencing at this time. This year I thank God for helping me discover the most effective tools and carving method that has finally made me a expert pumpkin carver competitor. I have carved three pumpkin this year, and each one get better then the last. I have been in the past used the hammer and chisel method with wood carving tools. My new tools are clay sculpting tools using the shaving method. This design took me about 7 hour straight to complete . I did not get to chose or see the pumpkin I would be carving until the day of the competition. The carve is a live event,meaning you cannot bring a pre- marked or carved pumpkin to the event. This year I believe there were about 75 pumpkin artist who participated in the event. Written by Stephen J.Vattimo Oct 29, 2015

Long time no see! This time is a sketch page for Pumpkin - Lily's all-things-witchy tutor.

Micron pen drawing

Humble Thy Self In The Sight Of The Lord This Pen And Ink was rendered from a image Of the painting entitled," The Prayer At Valley Forge" by artist Arnold Fryberg. I drew this rendering from my computer screen. It took a couple of hour to draw. I carved this image on a pumpkin at the annual Chadds Ford Historical Society Great Pumpkin Carve. So this rendering was done as a guide not a finished piece . As you look over this picture you will notice the ink ran in a few places, that is be cause it was raining while I was carving the pumpkin. Even though I had clear plastic laid over the picture, rain still got it wet. It seem like almost ever time I took part in this event it has rained . The reason I chose to carve this image is be cause the battle of the Brandywine was fought around the town of Chadds Ford, and because George Washington was a renown Christian man of Prayer. Just as the thirteen colony were freighting their way through hell to gain their independence from England, I feel our nation is going through Hell to maintain the principle the founding fathers had laid as the foundation of this country. Our country is in trouble and no political party can save this nation, only The American People who humble themselves before God, repent of their rebellious ways against God, and pray for His forgiveness, and seek Him to guild our nation out of the dark,and back into the light. Then will our nation be able to receive blessings from the hand of God. Stephen J. Vattimo July 16, 2012 See Less

I did this one in India ink and colored it with Winsor & Newton drawing inks. I love the vibrance and transparency of illustration inks, but don't use them too often because the colors are fugitive

It was my first time trying gouache.

Ghosts, narwhals… is it that time of year again?

The Count, Is a vampire character who like to count things. He is a character who is from the children's show, sesame street. I caved this pumpkin for a Trunker Treat event put on at the King of Prussia mall around Halloween time. This pumpkin was carved in one sitting. Took about 9 hours to carve. I have been involved in compactional pumpkin carving for 17 years. Never won yet.

A colorful illustration showcasing a slice of pumpkin pie topped with tiny pumpkins. The pie is placed on a vibrant blue plate with swirling patterns.

This painting started out as a pumpkin design for the Chads Ford, Pennsylvania, Historical Society’s Great Pumpkin Carve, which I have been participating in for the last eleven years. What inspired me to turn the design into a lasting painting was the message, made the design so relevant. It seems the message, which echoes louder and louder as each day passes; the force of heaven and hell are coming out of the dark and into the daylight. The dove in the painting has always been used in mankind’s history to represent hope, peace, and the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The sun in the Bible is called the greater light that governs the day. So, I used dove and the sun to represent the spiritual force of the heavenly kingdom that is seen and unseen in our world. The bat is known as a creature of the night, thought to be a foul creature that people fear. The moon in the Bible is called the lesser light, which was created to govern the night, to give light on to the earth at night. Nighttime is mentioned in the Bible as when men do their evil deeds. Before man invented methods to light the street and people’s homes, people limited their activity at night due to the absence of light. People with superstitious beliefs believe that demonic creature dwelt in the shadow and would attack them if they stepped out of the light. Another historical fact is that bandits would hide in the dark and rob night travelers. People also worked while it was daylight, then would party, get drunk, and sleep around at night. The Bible mentions that those who reject God’s Messiah do not come into the light because their deeds are evil, and they don’t want them to be exposed. So I chose to use the bat and the moon to symbolize the dark evil kingdom of the fallen angels. 168 The reason why the two creatures converge in the middle is because mankind is the centerpiece that both sides are contesting for. Man kind, in the beginning, was created as a holy creation. But just as Satan decided he was going to exalt himself above His Creator, he went to the rest of the angels to get them to join his army to dethrone God. When Satan and his army lost the battle for the heavenly kingdom, He turned his eyes to conquering the earthly realm by tempting mankind, who God had gifted the deed of the earth to. The devil possesses a snake to hold a conversation with man to deceive them into distrusting God and leading them to disobey the commandment from God not to eat from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is how man became the middle battleground. God’s force is battling to restore mankind back to fellowship with God and regain their citizenship in God’s eternal kingdom. Satan and his army of fallen angels work on deceiving, afflicting, and destroying mankind in hope of taking as many as his army can drag to the eternal lake of fire, where God will throw everyone who has denounced Him as their God and king. (Sept 18, 2016) See Less

This is a 3D pumpkin I carved at The Phoenixville Pa. Pumpkin Festival,for the experts carver's completion. This was my first time using the clay sculpting tool to carve with. I used the wood carving tool method for about eight years. The use of the clay tool give the carver more control to be able to do more detail . the wood carving method is chiseling away the pumpkin flesh where the clay sculpting tools method you scrape way the flesh. This the second pumpkin carving contest I have participated in in less then 5 day apart. Now that I have found a method and tools that work far better than my old ones, less see if my pumpkin carving skills can catch up to my artistic skills. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo Oct 24,2015

Medium: Ink on Sketch Book Paper Size: 15” x 25” Year: 10/04/2019 This Illustration is my Pumpkin carve design for the Great Pumpkin Carve, sponsored by The Chad’s Ford Pa. Historical Society. I have been participating in this event since 2006. I designed this picture to illustrate the human heart toward God. Understanding the symbolism in the design Human heart: A Fortress God’s Communion with Man Kind: Irish trinity flowers, with the crown, cross, dove God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit The two doors: the diverse ways mankind communes with God. The door with the thorny flower design: A religious person who live with out power. They refuse to allow God to sit on the throne in their lives. The door with the Grape Vine design: A follower of Jesus, who summit their lives to God’s lordship. John 15:5 New King James Version (NKJV) 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Stephen J. Vattimo 10/04/2019

Ink on sketchbook paper subject: illustration for the national paper Size :11" x 14" Date: 10/20/2017 Artist: Stephen J. Vattimo This ink illustration was created for a pumpkin design for a carving contest. The hands grasped tightly in prayer. The national flag in tatters, representing all the trials and tribulation the nation is going through, The compass represents seeking direction. The who illustration making the statement, The need for a nation to look to God for direction, and healing of our land. God made a promise to the nation Of Israel, which I believe is offered to any nation. 2 Chronicles 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Written by Stephen J. Vattimo

Jack O’Lanterns being lured by krakens and their mermaid brethren…

Dear Friends , The Great Pumpkin Carve sponsored by the Chad Ford Historical Society is going to be held on the Thursday 18 October 2018 . Live carving is Thursday night, starting at 300PM. There is usually about 70-100 carvers, the creations of these artists are on display in a maze like setting. Other attraction are a hay ride , haunted forest display, food causations venders, live music. The event is Thursday night to Saturday night. The Great Pumpkin Carve Chadds Ford Historical Society P.O. Box 27, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 610-388-7376 ~ www.chaddsfordhistory.org I have been carving at this event since 2007. I almost did not participate last year because I was unemployed, and could not afford the entrance fee of $25, but The watercolor artist Andy Smith paid my entrance fee. and my sister paid my gas. Well I am unemployed again, not sure I will have the funds to enter this year. Pray the Good Lord will open the financial door that I will get the money to pay the coast to enter this year. Below are some of the Pumpkins I have carved in the past.

#15 Joe & Mac: Large Carnivorous plant boss + Spooky Theme - I drew this on an iPad pro for... maybe a Halloween theme? I don't remember. Well whatever it was, the background had to do with the theme, but in the foreground I was in the mood for something related to Joe and Mac (aka caveman ninja). Except for my rough sketch under my inked layer there was No tracing, No pressure sensitivity and No Ai involved.

Lindsey's prompt: Pumpkin Pie