Beginners Guide to Embossing Powder Techniques on Gourds will help you learn the best technique and process for using this media. Watch how product developer and gourd artist, Maria Delos, shows you how it is done. Learn some basic information and watch her video of her process.
Powders are often lost in our journey to find a color media for gourds. We tend to head for the ink dyes or just stay with our acrylic paints. These little gems come mostly in small jars and carry a wallop of power if you learn how to use them. My go-to-expert is Maria Delos who was involved in developing many of the Welburn products years ago and now with her own teaching business, has developed products she now sells that work well together. I have watched all of her videos numerous times to remind me of the details. I will share some tips and background information on these powders before we talk about her techniques.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
What makes Embossing powder turn to texture?
Embossing powder is powdered paint covered with a thermoplastic polymer mixture that melts under heat. The powder comes in regular, fine, and coarse grain. Fine-grain works best in the pen to create a smooth consistent line when melted. The coarse grain gives a textured raised surface. Maria’s Cloisonne Embossing Powder is her thick grained powder. It is one of my favorite looks.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
Which Brands of Embossing and Mica powder should you buy?
There are many brands at all prices. I buy small quantities because most of my projects are small and usually I need only a small amount. Wow, Ranger, and Recollection all make a product you can buy at big box stores. In the end, I like Maria’s embossing powders the best.
There is often confusion over the mica powder. Sometimes it is call accent powder. Check the label for the mica ingredient to make sure. I do know that the cheaper cosmetic products don’t have a high amount of mica and take a larger quantity to cover the gourd surface. The Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments offer quality and various reflective qualities. I just buy individual colors instead of the large kitsoBeginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
There are other tools to consider
A soft brush.
Craft heat gun. A hair dry will not get hot enough!
Fill this line pen with powder to create straight lines and letters.
Throw away little spoons
Best glue product. Black is easier to see on a gourd.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
You can dissolve the powder in several liquids
All of these powders require a medium in order to bind it to your gourd surface. Mix varnish with some powders for a metallic glow. Mix embossing powder with gourd ink, alcohol ink, gel glaze, protecting wax, paint or, gel medium.
If you don’t bind it with a liquid then you need to use a heat active glue to hold the powder in place on the gourd. Heating the powder will melt the particles into the gourd surface where it will get hard.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
Adding Embossing powder to gourd ink dyes
You can add it to gourd dyes by sprinkling it over the wet surface of the ink after you have applied it to your gourd. Then you heat it until it gets glossy and hard. You could use a stamp pad with an active glue to stamp a certain area on the gourd and then sprinkle power there and heat set. You can also use an embossing pen with heat-activated glue and create a drawing line. Sprinkle it with powder and heat set.
Check my post, 6 Ways to using Embossing Powder for more directions and information.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
What Mica Powders to Buy
There are many available, but my favorites are Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments because of their metallic or pearlescent effect.
Like all powders, they mix into any binding liquid. Mix them into acrylics, gourd ink, alcohol inks, epoxy, glues, casting resins, clay, varnishes…the list goes on!
Pearl Ex is made from powdered mica. The particles are flat platelets with two surfaces; therefore, it lays down beautifully like a thin coating of metal. The different particle sizes produce different looks from a fine, smooth, pearly luster to a highly metallic sheen.
Grain size matters
There are three 3 types. The regular is shiny and reflective, Interference colors appear colorless but reflect an iridescent color which works perfect for dragonfly wings and magical images. The Duo colors change slightly from one tone to another when you move the item.
They are a little expensive but mine have lasted several years. My southwest themes call for coppers, bronze, and golds, so I buy more of those tones because they make my jewelry pieces shimmer in the light. I am a big fan of these mica colors.
You might also try Maria’s Cloisonne Embossing Powder This is Maria’s thick grained powder. Has the look of an inlay effect.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
Pearl Ex Mica Pigment is extremely easy to use. Your biggest problem may be deciding which technique to use. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Interference colors work best over dark surfaces.
- Mix 4 parts Pearl Ex to 1 part Gum Arabicand add water to desired consistency for watercolor paint.
- Mix it in your acrylic paint for a metallic look.
- Mix Pearl Exwith a clear embossing powder for rubber stamp embossing. Pearl Ex in itself is not an embossing powder. Combine one part Pearl Ex pigment with two parts clear embossing powder, mixing them in a small bowl with a plastic spoon until evenly blended.
- Dust Pearl Ex onto the gourd and then seal with spray lacquer.
- Spray the lacquer finish coat out over the surface and let the mist fall onto the surface rather than spraying the lacquer at the surface. This will give you a more even coat of lacquer without spray marks as well as preventing the spray from blowing off the Pearl Ex.
- Mix Pearl Ex with any clear medium to use over any surface. For example, you can mix Pearl Ex with a gourd wax, formula 49, in a clear brush-on varnish. The gourd surface would then glow or change hue if you use an Interference or duo color.
Beginners Guide to the Embossing Powders Techniques on Gourds
Final Covering
Be sure to varnish after applying these mixes to your gourd art. I use Maria’s durable, Non-Toxic Varnish. It creates a weatherproof seal on multiple surfaces including gourds. She states that it protects against chemicals, alcohol, and resists water stains. Dries Very Quickly. Shake well. Soap and water clean-up. Cures in 24 hours. You may add multiple coats within 1/2 hour of each other. Conforms to ASTM D4236 4 Fl oz.
Note: This is a great finish over gold leaf also!
Because these two powders are so versatile, they are confusing to work with. The process is not the same for both yet you can use them together on the same gourd and you can put them on top of each other. The powder can also get out of control if you don’t stay organized.
Highlights of Maria’s Process
Maria has a video that will set you on the right path. In the video she demonstrates on a shard.
She applies the embossing powder by dipping it into a container full of black powder. Heat sets it.
Next, she adds heat set glue and brushes different colored mica powder on it and heat sets. Then wipes it with a cloth.
Add your varnish, then this surface won’t get messed up by the next powder usage.
Then she spoons embossing powder over the gourd and gets a different texture.
She also sprinkles it on the glue, adds the same mica powders and then heat sets .i
Suddenly it takes on an entirely new appearance.
Now watch Maria a long video, “Embossing Powder Techniques”
I have watched it several times and always learn something new. So come back to it after a time for a review.
Note: Her accent powder is a mica powder like Ex Peral.
You can watch more of her videos on Youtube. Check out the products I talked about at her website. Click on her logo below.
Do you use her products or perhaps you have taken one of her classes. Do you have a favorite product?
Please, 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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Love this website.I am just entering the world of gourd art, and know I will consider this website my home away from home
Love this website ❤️
Been doing gourds for a few years now and I’ve learned so much more from reading and watching the videos!
So thank you for sharing all your knowledge about crafting on gourds.
Can’t wait to try it on my gourd.
Thanks for the education. I have followed you for years and consistently learn new techniques!