Gourd carving technique and styles!

Here Pablo is putting the finishing touches on a small “Wedding Gourd”
carved using the fondo blanco style.

The gourds used by Cochas Chicas artists are grown in a desert area on Peru’s northern coastline. After harvesting they are placed in the hot sun to dry. The removal of a thin outer skin exposes a hard shell like brown surface. The artist then “etches” a simple or complex design into the surface with sharp tools that are similar to those used by scrimshaw artists who worked with bone or ivory. A piece is finished in one of the styles described below.

A. The fondo negro style is the most traditional. It is similar to that used by scrimshaw artisans. The images look as if they were made with pen and ink. It involves the application of an ink like substance to the gourd after all the images have been carved into the gourd. The softer inner gourd material absorbs the color. The residue is wiped off and the outer skin polished and sometimes waxed to give it a soft lustrous appearance. The most complex and intricately carved gourds which Pablo calls “Fino” are done in this style. This is the style of the “collector gourd” on Pablo’s main page.

B. The fondo natural finish involves the same carving technique however no pigment is applied. The color is achieved by using a wood burning like tool to apply varying levels of heat to the skin of the gourd. Pablo describes it as “ ... like painting with heat”. The carved lines prevent “bleeding” of the color beyond the lines. The higher the heat the darker the colors. With delicate use of the tool Pablo produces shading and patterns to give texture and depth to the work.

C. The fondo blanco style is a combination of the first two techniques. A white pigment is applied after carving and the application of heat. This provides a white outline for all of the carved images.