Gourd Cactus Planter

Day 3

The results are in.  In previous gourd art experiments where it was my intention to use Gesso to enhance color brightness as well as to create the perfect texturing for paint and pencils, (especially color pencils like Prismacolor Art Pencils), I have ran into problems.  I use a technique for getting a smooth finish gourd like automotive body workers use to get those custom high gloss perfectly shaped bodies.  Instead of using two different color primers though, I use Gesso because this is the final texture I want before applying my artwork.

The process is simple, but a little time consuming.  You start by spraying on a good layer of Gesso, then you sand.  Every gourd has some divits in it and structural flaws, but I'm not going to try to make the gourd a perfect sphere.  I do however want to eliminate any bug bites, dents from growing on a rock or vine in the garden, and the rough orange peal type surface texture that so many gourds have. 

This layer has to be applied slowly, if you try to make it white in one swipe, you will end up with runs, however the Krylon Spray Gesso you can apply a mist to the gourd, and as you rotate the gourd, just keep applying a very fine thin mist or layer until you have built up a nice base.  Gesso will dry in 15 minutes, and be fully dry in 30 minutes, however you can reapply another fine layer in roughly 30 seconds, so if you continue to work slowly, you can continually rotate the gourd and keep applying the Gesso.

Here is where Krylon has the upper hand where other Gesso's have failed me. once the Gesso has completely dried and cured, (I give it several hours), you take a sanding sponge and lighly sand the surface until some of the brown high points of the gourd show through.  Also look for those bug bites and imperfections, and sand over them making them shallower and shallower with each application.  The problem with other Gesso's like the Daler Rowney brand sold by Walmart are water based and very rubbery.  When you start sanding on them with a medium grade sanding sponge, the Gesso will start peeling off the gourd and will roll like a thin layer of rubber.  This is not good.  The Krylon seems to be suspended in a mixture of something stronger like a type of laquer or emamel base which makes it more solid, and it stays on the gourd with the only exception being that which the sandpaper itself is removing.  I will only use Krylon spray, and it is available at Mister Art.