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Bettie Lake · July 7, 2021

These are the seven tools I like to use when I am drawing on gourds.

Beginners, as you work with gourds, I am sure your list may be different.
Experienced gourd artist, I hope you will add your tips in the comments.

#1 Pencils for drawing on gourds

A number 2 pencil is what you need. What I use is this mechanical pencil, my cabinetmaker husband uses on wood. Never needs to be sharpened, erases easily, and is cheap! We buy them by the dozen and throw them in a draw in the studio.

#2 The right Bendable Ruler for drawing on gourds

This tool is one of my must-haves. My 6-inch ruler width is one inch so I can make an inch wide ribbon around or down the gourd easily by drawing on each side of the line with a pencil. If I want it in the center of the gourd, I first measure down from the stem creating dots to place the top of the ruler on to keep the ribbon straight. I work mostly on small gourds so the 6-inch size is most manageable. If you are working bigger, maybe a 12-inch size would be better fr you.

#3. The right kind of eraser for drawing on a gourd

When I draw on gourds I like an eraser with thin edges so I can erase lines that are close together. I prefer the White Pearl because it gives off fewer eraser shavings and does not smudge the gourd. It fits nicely in my hand and still looks good after many uses. The problem is, it is hard to find and is more expensive. So if you find them, buy two or more. One for your worktable and one for your travel box.

#4. Eraser Sheets

Some use baby wipes or makeup pads with alcohol or try my trick and use a Mr. Clean eraser. I like this pad of sheets. When I plan a design I usually start drawing directly on the gourd. I use the black pearl to erase and change lines as I go. Then when I am done and don’t like a big section, I just wipe the pencil marks away with this sheet. Each sheet is reusable. They are convenient, easy to store, and don’t dry out in the Arizona heat! One of my favorite tools for drawing on gourds!

#5. Masking Tape

If you want to divide your gourd into areas made up of straight lines then the best method is using tape. Most gourd artists like the ¼ inch size. Once the tape is applied, draw your line along the edge, then tear it off.

Painting Between the Tape

If you want to use it for painting a line between two pieces of tape, then I would suggest using a painter’s tape because it is has a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Frog tape is thin and easier to work into areas with bumpy surfaces. It sticks well and less likely to bleed paint. Another tip is to not paint over the edge of the tape too far and press the edge down with the top tip of your brush.

#6. Try Saral Transfer Paper when drawing on gourds

(12 1/2 In. X 12 Ft. Roll)

This wax-free transfer paper allows you to transfer your design from a sketch, pattern, or template. It makes clean, crisp tracings that can be erased and is easy to wood burn or paint over. Because it is wax free it gives the advantage of erasing like a pencil with no smear or smudge. Saral is economical and can be used again and again. My tip is to tape it down well and trace over your image with a colored pen or pencil so you can see where you haven’t gone yet.

#7. Stick and Burn Paper / Pyrography paper

This is not my favorite choice, but many gourd artists use it so I want to give you information on it. most buy it from Welburn gourd Farm The simplest explanation is this. They are selling groups of images on sticky-backed paper. After you cut out the image and press it down on the gourd you can then wood-burn on top of the paper.

(3M writes on their website that none of their adhesives should be burned on.) My other complaint is that it takes too long to get off the glue when you tear the tiny pieces of papers from the gourd. Most spray alcohol on the remaining glue to help release it. Pyrography paper has no sticky back, but you can burn on it.

If you don’t have a printer, you can take it to a printing store. But you will have to prove it is not a copyrighted image. Can’t be a magazine image and you should take the paper package to prove that the paper is safe for laser printers.

If you have a printer and Word software, I suggest buying the plain transfer sheets for laser or inkjet printers Then in Word, insert clip art or images you have drawn into the page. Place the transfer paper in the printer and print your images. Each sheet is about a dollar, so fill it if you can and store the remaining pieces in a zip-lock bag.

Everyone ends up finding their own group of tools according to how they like to draw. The bendable surface and the smoothness makes it rather difficult when drawing on gourds that are small. You might want to take a look at another post, Stop Hugging your Gourd to see how I solve this problem.

What drawing tools do you use that I missed?

Share your thoughts here in the comment box or share them with all the gourd artists on our Facebook Group Page.

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7 Tools for Drawing on a Gourd