In Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, blink and you’ll miss Amanaman, an Amani lurking in the shadows of Jabba’s Palace. Decades later, more gangly Amani warriors would have a big role to play — in an unproduced arc of The Clone Wars where they clash with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet Utapau. But it wasn’t until Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu that the Amani finally got to stand in the spotlight, leaping out of the shadows in pursuit of our favorite Clan of Two.
This Halloween, make your own Amani to jump scare trick-or-treaters! With a craft pumpkin, clay, and paint, this snarling Amani guard gourd will make your house one to remember.
Let’s roll!
What You’ll Need
- Medium-sized black craft pumpkin
- Pencil
- Craft knife
- Black acrylic paint
- Paint brush
- Brown modeling clay
- Modeling paste
- White acrylic paint
- Tacky white glue
- Brown acrylic paint, various shades
- Yellow and green acrylic paint
- Hot glue gun
- Silicone or non-stick plastic mat
- Iridescent adhesive vinyl
- Scissors
- Red LED light
The activities in this article should only be done with adult supervision.
Get Started!
Step 1: Begin by sketching the Amani’s half-circle eyes and mouth on the pumpkin.
Step 2: Carefully cut the eyes and mouth out with a craft knife.
Step 3: If the inside of the craft pumpkin is white, paint the cut edges with black paint and let dry.
Step 4: Next, use the modeling clay to add a large frill around the pumpkin stem and down the sides of a pumpkin.
Tip: Use clay tools to add texture and detail to the frill.
Step 5: Roll the modeling clay and press around it the openings you cut to make the lips, brows, and eyes.
Step 6: After the modeling clay dries, use modeling paste to fill any gaps or cracks as needed.
Step 7: Make small cones from the modeling clay for the Amani’s teeth. Let dry, then glue inside the mouth.
Step 8: Paint the teeth white and let dry. You can lightly add brown or gray paint to make them look more natural.
Step 9: Roll the modeling clay into very thin worms and press them to the face as wrinkles.
Step 10: Paint the entire pumpkin dark brown and let dry completely.
Step 11: Use lighter shades of brown for depth and details and add touches of yellow and green.
Step 12: Squeeze hot glue onto a silicone mat until you have a coin shape slightly larger than the eye hole you cut previously. Repeat for the second eye and let both cool completely.
Step 13: Cut two small circles from iridescent adhesive vinyl and stick to the hot glue eyes. Glue the finished eyes on top of the eye holes.
Step 14: Roll the modeling clay and press around the eyes to make the lids.
Your Amani pumpkin is complete and ready to snarl at trick-or-treaters this Halloween! Place a small red LED light inside to add an eerie glow.
Or, if you’d prefer a less menacing pumpkin and you’re a fan of the Amani who appears in Return of the Jedi, Amanaman, swap in bright yellow and green paint and skip the razor-sharp teeth for a friendlier take.
