Zuni Goddess Gourd

Design by Vesta Abel

Using the Masquepen, draw a design onto an untreated gourd. Allow the design to dry - you can speed up the drying process with a heat too,  but keep it moving so the liquid doesn't bubble.

When dry, stain the decorated gourd with Adirondack™ dye-based inks. I have used leather dyes on gourds, but have found that dye-based inks work just as well. The inks glide on easily if you use a cosmetic sponge. However, it is important to keep the gourd out of direct sunlight to avoid fading. If you do not spray a clear finish on your inked gourd, you can reapply inks to restore the brilliant colors. To finish, use a black Sharpie pen to create contrast around masked areas.