Watermelon carving is a popular art form, and with its hard shell, you can sculpt it into various shapes to decorate your home. To save you time searching, here are eight simple yet beautiful watermelon carving ideas.
1 The Significance of Watermelon in the Lunar New Year Feast
While watermelons are typically in season during the summer, agricultural advancements have made it possible to cultivate them year-round, resulting in various watermelon varieties. During the Lunar New Year, families offer different types of fruits as tributes, but one constant across regions is the inclusion of watermelons.
The Significance of Watermelon in the Lunar New Year Feast
The watermelon in the Lunar New Year feast holds several meanings:
- It symbolizes self-reliance and resilience, as the fruit is closely associated with .
- During the time of Mai An Tiêm, watermelons were offered to the king. Thus, including watermelons in the Lunar New Year tribute is a way of showing respect and reverence to ancestors.
- The red watermelon also represents good fortune and prosperity for the host family. Additionally, it symbolizes family reunion and embodies the warmth and love of family in its sweet taste.
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2 Guide to Carving a Watermelon for the Five-Fruit Tray
Prepare a Set of Watermelon Carving Knives
Watermelon Carving Knife Set
Before starting to carve, the first thing you need to do is purchase a set of multi-purpose carving knives from a supermarket or kitchenware store. Only this type of knife can help you cut and carve quickly and easily. Buying a new set of knives is not a waste, as you can keep and reuse them next year.
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Selecting the Right Watermelon for Artistic Carving
Choosing a Watermelon for Artistic Carving
When selecting a watermelon for artistic carving, opt for a round-shaped watermelon with a taut and glossy rind, a green stem, and an intact skin without scratches or cracks. Depending on your preference, you can choose a smooth, dark green watermelon or one with natural markings for carving.
Watermelon Carving Techniques
Sketch your design on paper and make adjustments as needed
Use a pencil to draw on the watermelon
Wipe away pencil marks and let the watermelon dry
Use a sharp knife to remove excess rind
Create delicate lines with the knife
Outline your design with a metallic pen or pencil
Scrape away the green rind along the outline
Peel away the carved border to reveal your design
3 Eight Beautiful Watermelon Carving Ideas
Carving a Watermelon with the Chinese Character for ‘Longevity’
Carving a Watermelon with the Chinese Character for ‘Longevity’
Cut the watermelon in half, then create a frame by drawing a rectangle and writing the Chinese character for ‘longevity’ or any other character of your choice inside.
Next, use a sharp knife or a small saw to carefully cut along the character you’ve drawn. Once you’ve finished carving the character, continue cutting along the frame, creating two parallel lines for a more polished look.
You can add decorative elements, such as a floral pattern, outside the frame.
To complete the design, use a small saw to remove the green rind from the character, keeping the green frame intact. Finally, sprinkle gold glitter along the frame to make it stand out. Now you have a beautifully carved watermelon to display on your ancestral altar during the Lunar New Year.
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Dog
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Dog
Choose a round watermelon, then use a fruit carving knife to create the shape of the animal of the year (in this case, a dog). Next, use a knife to remove the green rind from the frame, leaving the green animal shape intact to make it stand out.
To make the watermelon more visually appealing, add a branch of peach blossoms and carve some Lunar New Year greetings in a similar style. Now you have a beautifully carved watermelon that is both decorative and meaningful.
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Mouse
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Mouse
Choose a round watermelon, then use a marker to draw a mouse on it. Use a small saw to carefully cut along the drawn lines, removing the watermelon’s rind.
Continue drawing and carving additional mice, spacing them about 2-3 cm apart. Once you’ve finished carving each mouse, create a frame around the watermelon with decorative patterns of your choice.
Carving a Watermelon with a God of Fortune Design
Carving a Watermelon with a God of Fortune Design
First, print out an image of the God of Fortune that is proportional to half of the watermelon. Attach the image to the watermelon, then use a small-tipped knife to carefully trace the outline of the image from the outside in. Slowly remove the paper afterward.
Next, use a hook to gently scrape away the green rind, making the God of Fortune image stand out. Now you have a beautifully carved watermelon featuring the God of Fortune to display on your ancestral altar during the Lunar New Year.
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Pig
Carving a Watermelon in the Shape of a Pig
Choose an oval-shaped watermelon, then print and attach an image of a pig to it. Use a sharp-tipped knife to carefully trace the outline of the pig from the outside in, then slowly remove the paper.
After carving the outline, it’s time to start sculpting the watermelon. Use a carving knife to remove excess rind, making the details of the pig stand out. Finally, add a frame to complete the design.
Carving a Watermelon with a Wallflower Design
After completing the first flower, continue carving the stamen and creating the second