Upon further experimentation, we found that using the tattoo machine and transfers on a rainy day demanded another way of getting the image onto the gourd. Dabbing it with a damp cotton ball or pad made a blue mess of ink that spread over the lines, sunk into the gourd wall, and generally was a mistake.
On a damp day, it was better to using the hard surface of a boning tool (a bookbinders tool) or smooth hard edge of the back of a spoon to rub the image onto the gourd surface. There seemed to be enough moisture in the air to effect the image transfer lines.
This is a boning tool, also called a paper creaser for the newer generations unfamiliar with letterpress printing and bookbinding. It's probably sold in the paper craft / scrapbooking areas of a art/craft store. The back of a spoon or other smooth but hard tool would as well. The point is to rub the layer of tattoo stencil off the backside of the paper onto the surface without tearing the paper.
Keep experimenting; keep cross-connecting tools. All fields of expertise have specialty tools and supplies that can be used with gourds. Be open!
....and keep coming up with cracklin' good ideas!
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