Spotlight On: Custom Pumpkin Artist Gyophry

WDWNT on February 25, 2012

It’s January, so the thought on all our minds is of course… pumpkins! Last fall we featured artist Gyophry’s custom pumpkins. He masterfully carves works of art into these pumpkins and being a huge Disney fan, many of his designs lean that way. This year he is embarking on a series of pumpkins that will pay tribute to the Disney theme parks.

I am attempting what could be my most ambitious series yet, and the 1st of this is the Epcot 30th anniversary.
This is special to me due to Epcot being the 1st Disney park i had the pleasure to visit way back in 1982. I wanted to do something that would also bring back memories for a lot of us fans.

I began by finding a pattern series and then outlining the design in a pencil, it is difficult to see most detail when taking the paper pattern and laying it on a round 3d surface. I then painstakingly use a pin tool to pierce the pattern to the pumpkin, this allows me to remove the paper to see the design better, this process took me approximately 4 hours to complete.

Then the fun part, its time to cut and carve. This is the most exciting and nerve racking point in the process. Any mistake and its all over, as you can see the amount of time taken on the prep allows for the fine line detail. Slowly but surely the final design starts to show up.

The carving all in all took  approximately 6 hours to complete, and other than some issues with the paint of the actual Funkin (brand of pumpkin), I feel like this was a great start to this series.

If you are wondering what the rest of the series will be….well all i can say is its like Park Starz in the way it honors the classic rides and attractions we all love and cherish. I look forward to keeping you and the rest of my Vinylmation fans in the Halloween spirit all year round.

Spotlight On: Custom Pumpkin Artist Gyophry

WDWNT on February 25, 2012

Here are a couple of shots from my disney classic series:

The epcot 30th was the 1st of the series.

20K under the sea is #2

The classic poster from the Jungle cruise is #3

I have been experimenting with new media for #4 “TomorrowLand”

Now that the season is upon us I hope to have many more awesome designs created. All of the classic series are available for purchase. $75 shipped. Thanks for allowing me a chance to share with the readers.

Gyophry can be contacted about purchasing his pumpkin creations via his Twitter: @gyophry.

Spotlight On: Custom Pumpkin Carver Gyophry

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

This Spotlight is a little out of the ordinary for us. Normally, we bring you custom Vinylmation artists from around the world. But recently, we were contacted by one of our listeners Gyophry showing us his unique Disney-themed works of art. So, with Halloween right around the corner, today we will feature Gyophry’s pumpkin carvings.
Destination Vinylmation: How long have you been carving these great designs into pumpkins?
Gyophry: I have been carving custom pumpkins for about 4 years now.  I began with the typical real ones but realized after carving for 6 hours plus I should switch to fake carveable ones.
DV: Your work really appeals to our audience because of the use of Disney themes.
Gyophry: This year I decided to show my love for Disney and for Vinylmation. After visiting Disneyland earlier this year, I fell in love with the World of Color. I realized this would make a beautiful pumpkin. 
I then did a version of the 2011″Happy Halloween” collectible pin. I have a “Nightmare” one as well. This was a request from my wife that turned out better than I expected. 
But as I was doing these while listening to your podcast, I wanted to thank you guys for providing my family and myself hours of entertainment and information. So I have done a “Destination Vinylmation” pumpkin. 
This is a dual sided one with a projectable “!” Vinylmation on one side and the DV banner on the other.
DV: Besides Disney, what else do you enjoy carving into pumpkins?
Gyophry: I have done many video game related ones including a Bioshock (big daddy),
 a Sephiroth (final fantasy), Master chief (halo) and a dual sided Marcus phoenix/crimson omen (gears of war).
DV: We have all carved pumpkins before and it can be a long, tedious process. Your designs have a ton of detail, how long does the average pumpkin carve take you?
Gyophry: These designs can range from 3-20 hours for the entire process. I begin by creating a pattern, placing it on the pumpkin, then the carving.  I do only use a very limited amount of tools, all are done by hand. I don’t use a dremmel like some carvers. I prefer a fine line carving, similar to tattoos.
DV: Like our custom Vinylmation artists, you do sell and ship your work, right?
Gyophry: I do custom commissions for people, they can range from $40-$100 depending on the size of the pumpkin. If anyone would like to find out more I am on Twitter @gyophry.  I will be creating an etsy account soon to display all of these designs.
DV: Just remember everyone, they are the fake pumpkins. So they can last year after year. It’s a really great idea and we appreciate you sharing your work with everyone.
Gyophry: I am thankful to you both for giving me a chance to show my work.