Sharpees on Gourd Surfaces

Sharpees can be a quick way to put images on a gourd. I use them for ornaments and bowls when I want colorful calligraphy. There have been some lessons along the way however, and I am happy to share those with you.

This experiment and subsequent lesson has to do with polyurethane and Sharpee ink. First of all, let me tell you I am a BIG fan of Sharpee and use them over paint most of the time. However, there are two problems that arise: not all finishes will mix with Sharpee easily, and Sharpee ink fades over time.

In my experience Sharpee ink bleeds with Miniwax Polyurethane. Even if I use a brush and apply the thinnest coast possible so the ink won't run in drips, the brush becomes colored with the ink. Brushing over the existing brushed places just makes the ink ever-so-subtly blend over the background and image. The fix to that has been to use spray Poly lightly, let it dry, spray again, then brush. Many steps, but it works.

The other problem has been the fact a gourd will absorb the ink color over time. If used to fill in woodburning images, the colored part begins to look like little dabs of ink were applied here and there while most of the image was left plain. Only regular blue tends to stay more visible, but only in blobs.

Customers have brought back gourds with elaborate art on them that after years have faded to nothingness. A little time spent redo-ing the Sharpee on top of the finish brought the gourds back to life with happy results, even after another couple years.

To fix both of these problems, I have started to apply poly first (this works with spar varnish, polyurethane, acrylic, or floor polish--spraying or brushing, the application technique does not seem to matter), let dry and apply the Sharpee design on top of the sealant. The color stays true, is permanent, and has no fading.

The 12 year old back

The renewed back

An example of how Sharpee color fades on a gourd surface can be striking. This gourd angel is about 12 years old. You can see from the rear shot how faded the color had become. With new color, the original vibrant look is renewed. So, as a lesson in process: Put Sharpee colors on AFTER the initial coat of sealant. That keeps the color from soaking into the gourd and fading over time.

The renewed front

Hope this Crackin' Good lesson helps you!
CAM