How to Make Your own Gourd Lamp or Gourd Luminary
Of all the projects we've seen - one of the favorites has got to be the gourd lamp or gourd luminary if you prefer. Seeing the gourd lamp light up a room is something to be seen if you've not had the pleasure of seeing one up close. It really is breathtaking. In this article we will walk you through how to make a gourd lamp. The size, style, and scope of the lamp is at the sole discretion of the artist without any real limitations as to what can be done. A mix of hand tools and power tools can be used, as well as variety of light sources. This can be a great gourdpatch project that, if seen through completion, could be used as a fundraiser, if your patch was willing to part with their works of art.
Let's start with the basics of how to get this project going.
Materials
1 Dried Gourd (A cannonball gourd or bottle gourd would be good candidates) with at least a 10" diameter
1 Light Source (more on that later)
Step 1: Bottom Out the Gourd
I'll take for granted that you've already cleaned the surface of the gourd. Outline a 6" diameter circle on the base of the gourd.
After you get your hole marked out with pencil, it is time to cut into the gourd, and get it all cleaned out. This hole is where we'll be attaching our lights. As you become more familiar with this project and/or make other gourd lanterns, you may find that you actually cut a smaller access hole. That being said, make sure the hole is large enough for you to properly clean out the insides, as well as have rooms to work with the light that you install. The video shows a small drywall saw being used, which works of course, but if you have a jigsaw - we definitely recommend that.
In the end you want to have a nice cavity that you can work within - as shown
When you make a gourd lamp, imagination is the only limiting factor. The next step is creating a design on the outer shell of the gourd. We'll be using a technique in which we drill holes to allow light to shine through.
Step 2 - Create the outer design
At this point we break from the technical and shift to the artistic side of things.
The next step here is to apply an outer design on the surface of the gourd. Now there are a couple of ways to go about this. For starters, just sketch some smooth curves to the outer surface of the gourd.
Now if you are like me - you may want something a little more tried and true, than just your hand drawn curves and sketches. In that case, stencils are an easy and affordable way to go. Using stencils and transfer paper will provide the opportunity to transfer intricate designs on to a number of different surfaces.
Step 3 - Drill/Carve In Pattern
After you initial sketch is in place - using a nice variable speed drill and a variety of drill bits - drill holes along the lines you've sketched. Once your starting lines are completed - consider filling in enclosed spaces with holes as well. Remember, the more holes you add, the greater the lighting effect. Using different sized bits will greatly add to the lighting. Don't be limited to simple holes as well - with a carver carver, you can add diamonds, stars, crescents, hearts, or whatever makes the most sense for your project. Use care to have your holes as equidistant to each other as possible. This will really make your gourd lantern pop when it is finished.
Step 4 - Add Light Source
From here you can add your light source. The video uses simple Christmas lights to illuminate the interior - but we believe you can do so much more. Add the light source into the base of the gourd through the hole that you initially cut out.
For obvious reasons, we would never recommend using an actual candle in any gourd lantern (or any other natural fiber based project) but take a moment to consider these lights:
Its an absolutely stunning light bulb and uses any E26 Light Socket.
Another great option would be using some colored lights in your project.
The true art comes from the outer design on the gourd. But don't take our word for it. Checkout these stunning lanterns made by Tami Redding at http://gourdeouslights.weebly.com/ Using the same the techniques here, you will be on your way to creating stunning gourd luminaries.
For a full versions of the techniques explained above, check it out here:
Thanks!