I have finished another gourd project, the first of potentially several bird condos. This one was a typical project meaning that it was mostly experiment. I like trying out new things and learning how far I can take some skill be it a technique, a color or whatever. You see, nothing really does what you expect, although it is much closer to the expected the more you are patient and the more you learn from previous experiments that went . . . different.
As an example, there are a myriad of options for coloring your gourds including leaving them their natural color, varnishes (including polyurethanes), paints, stains and dyes. I have been working with leather dyes. So I chose a color that I thought would look just the way I wanted it to. But then the tone becomes lighter as it soaks into the wood or it gets darker as it drys. It bleeds into areas where you didn't really want it to go and it changes once again when you put a coat of poly on it. So the result is always a bit of a surprise. The idea is to get enough experience and be patient enough to achieve a result that is pleasing if not exactly what you had in mind when you began. And, occasionally, you get a piece that exceeds your expectations.
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