There is a new gourd project at my gourd work station and I’m excited to be creating gourd art once again after concentrating on Mixed Media Assemblage the past few months. In an effort to simplify my gourd designs, I’ve decided this time to concentrate on a rim design and the eventual color. Even with my goal of simplifying, I’m facing challenges. But it’s all part of the learning process, right?!

 

 

 

 

My favorite gourd shape is the canteen gourd. My woodburning technique has improved greatly and the wavering lines in the design are due more to the bumps in the gourd shape than an uncertain hand. Not that my woodburning is perfect – only improved.

 

 

 

 

 

I plan on embedding cabochons around the rim. The two you see are only loosely adhered to the gourd at this time to check on the overall look. I like it.

 

 

 

And now for the bigger challenges! See the natural discoloration on the left? To my way of thinking, I’ll need to paint the gourd with acrylics rather than dye as dyeing will leave the pattern uneven since it is transparent. Also, notice the scarring at the bottom left of the gourd? It is natural therefore it is beautiful – or at least that’s how I’ve been advised to consider such imperfections.

And finally, see how the lines seem to slant downward to the left? That is an even line from the rim which was measured evenly from the top of the gourd before I removed it. Sigh.

 

 

 

This remains one of those gourd mysteries as I have used the “pencil on the stick” (gourd compass) to measure up from the bottom on previous projects and felt the same sense of unevenness with the top cut of the gourd going one way and the lines going another.

So next time, I’ll try cutting the top of the gourd off by measuring from the bottom up with the gourd compass. I’ve tried that too with mixed results but I’m hoping it improves with experience.

 

 

 

 

Regardless of these challenges, I believe this will be one beautiful piece of gourd art once I’m done. More later!

Vicky