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Gourd Decorating Methods

Ways to Engrave and Paint Gourds

Decorating Gourds – Applying Designs

Here is an article about scratch-engraving . There are two other methods to create dimensional designs on a hardshell gourd: carving; and wood-burning.

Wood-Burning Gourds

The ancients used various methods to burn designs into gourd surfaces. Some used metal spear tips heated over a flame. Others applied various acids and then held the gourd over a flame.

I’m glad gourd artists don’t have to do that anymore!

Today all you need is a hobbyist’s wood-burning pen. The standard tip is used for line drawing. Tips in various shapes are also available.

If you become very accomplished at wood-burning gourds, you may want to invest in a professional model of pen with electronic heat control and more tip variations.

Trace or draw your design with pencil or chalk. Heat up the tool and trace over your design.

Different effects are achieved by amount of pressure and time of contact. When you touch the hot tip to the cool gourd, heat immediately dissipates. The implication is that a line starts out strong and becomes lighter as you go.

If you want an even thickness of line, you need to go more slowly and occasionally lift the tip to allow the heat to rebuild.

When your design has been engraved, clean off any traces of pencil or chalk. You can stop right there or fill in the design with stains or paints.

Carving

If you decide to try gourd carving, be sure to take safety precautions. If you brace the gourd on your lap, wear a protective leather apron and a heavy leather glove on the hand that will hold the gourd. You can also brace the gourd on a non-stick surface placed on a work table.

An adjustable-height stool will allow you to get the optimal leverage for carving. There are basically two approaches to carving: carving the design as line art; and gouging out the background of a scene. The approach you use determines which carving tools you need.

Woodworking gouges and craft knives are commonly used. Hand-held power tools like a Dremel tool are another option.

Select a cleaned gourd with a thick shell. If you pick up several cured gourds of about the same size, you want the heaviest one.

The weight indicates a thicker shell. It may not be sufficient to examine the thickness of the cut edges since thickness varies over the surface of the shell.

Lovely effects can be achieved by staining the gourd before carving. The cream-colored carved areas then stand out in high contrast.

Trace or draw your design with pencil or chalk. When your design has been engraved, clean off any traces of pencil or chalk.

As with wood-burning, you can stop there or add paint or stain.

Decorating Gourds – Applying Color

Since the surface of hardshell gourds is fibrous like paper or wood and somewhere between these two substrates on the hardness scale, most media designed for paper or wood work very well on gourds.

Paint

If you plan to paint the entire surface with oils or acrylics, prepare the surface as you would a canvas following the paint manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you plan to paint only portions of the gourd, seal the surface first using varnish thinned with mineral spirits.

Stains, Dyes and Inks

If you have carved or burned line-art onto a gourd, the incised lines create dams which make staining, dying or inking very easy. If not, draw your design in chalk or pencil and use a fine tip brush or permanent markers to apply color. Fine tip permanent markers are easier for most to use than brushes. They come in a wide range of colors and give very deep color. If you are nervous about sketching directly on the gourd, use transfer paper and pen (available where sewing supplies are sold). Follow the directions to trace a design and transfer it to the gourd.

Finishes to Protect and Enhance Your Gourd Art

Some gourd pieces look best without added color. If you prefer just the natural pattern left by the gourd’s mold or a design you have engraved, you still want to add a protective finish.

Gourd shells are porous and can become breeding grounds for mildew and bacteria. Further as human hands handle the object, they deposit oil on the surface which will darken the shell over time.

Paste waxes for floors, leather and wood are popular choices for protecting gourd art as well as for adding a bit of sheen. Occasional touch-ups are needed just as they are for floors, shoes and furniture.

If the gourd has been colored or if you want a more durable finish, choose a clear coat product that is compatible with the color medium you applied.

Acrylic and oil paints are quite stable when dry, but some dyes and stains may run when coated. Experiment first or ask the experts where you purchased the dye or stain.

A spray finish, like Krylon Crystal Clear, is very easy to apply and usually my finish of choice.

Gourds for Use with Food

If your gourd art is intended for food use or needs to be watertight, you must seal the interior. Three or our coats of brush-on polyurethane are usually sufficient.

Let each coat dry thoroughly and check for smoothness before applying the next coat. Sometimes the polyurethane causes areas of the shell to swell. You will want to sand these back down for a smooth even surface.

Wash your gourd food utensils by hand and do not let them soak.

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