intense orange lighting and dark background foliage behind my Headless Horseman ice sculpture made for a dramatic display, even in a too brightly lit room.
updated a bit 7/11/23, although a major update won’t occur until I’m able to restore the Halloween ebook files
an intimidating Headless Horseman ice sculpture design
You’ve probably heard of Ichabod Crane, as long as you didn’t sleep through that day in English class. His name IS pretty memorable. And even if you forgot about Ichabod, you surely recall the bad guy in that Halloween tale, the Headless Horseman! So when I had a chance to sculpt whatever I liked for a Halloween event, I chose the Horseman. Part of the reason was that I was able to create a rare combo: ice sculpting and a little bit of pumpkin carving 🎃
While The Legend of Sleep Hollow author Washington Irving apparently based aspects of his unfortunate schoolteacher on a real acquaintance, there was a real Ichabod Crane, who served as a Marine Corps colonel. Colonel Crane evidently didn’t like sharing a name with Washington Irving’s gangly, superstitious schoolteacher.
Interestingly, Crane and Washington Irving served at the same time and the same place in 1814, and it’s likely that’s from where Irving got his character’s unusual name. The literary history doesn’t stop there, however. Colonel Crane was also the great uncle of Stephen Crane, author of the Red Badge of Courage. And oh yeah, the real Ichabod died from natural causes, rather than from a pumpkin-induced decapitation by a Hessian demon 👻
creating a Headless Horseman ice sculpture
This version of my Headless Horseman ice sculpture design isn’t quite finished and certainly not refined. I DID redraw this design, partly because I knew it needed work and partly because another ice sculptor openly criticized its faulty anatomy. However, the newer version is currently trapped in unused computer limbo, and it may be a bit before I can recover it. In addition, the improved design was SUPPOSED to be a premium design, not just something given away, willy-nilly. Oh well 🤪
Regardless, both Headless Horseman ice sculpture designs require nearly two blocks of ice and six or seven quality welds as well as a bit of pumpkin carving. The pumpkin should be small, about 5 1/2 to 6 inches across. Look for the improved design at a later date. Happy (early or late?) Halloween!
links and info
If you have any questions about my Headless Horseman ice sculpture design, email me or comment below. (It might not let you though.) If you would like to use this ice sculpture design or any other design on this site, please check the design usage guidelines. The design collection page lists designs on the site.
You might also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets Instagram account and you can comment there as well as below. Thanks!
