Struggling with Shading?

I wonder if you struggle with getting smooth shading in your gourd pyrography.  Many people do, and I have noticed some common issues that might be holding you back.  I will go over some of them here, hopefully one of these will resonate with you and will help you!  In a couple cases, it might not be your technique at all. 
I have made a video about this, or if you would rather read a loose transcription, scroll below the video to read.

1. YOUR PEN IS TOO HOT

Many students turn up the heat too far and burn too hot. This results in hot spots or areas that get scorched and uneven.  If you want a gradient tone, you will never get it with a pen that is too hot.  
Not to state the obvious, but when you see hot spots and you cannot control it, your pen might be too hot.  Other signs are a glowing red tip, excessive smoke while burning, and a gourd that ignites.  

My suggestion to help this is to keep a tester piece, a scrap of gourd that you can try your heat before burning on your final gourd.  That way you can test the heat of the pen and make sure you are burning cool enough to make a mark, but not so hot that you cannot control it.

2. YOU ARE BURNING TOO FAST

This is kind of related to the first one.  Instead of building tone in layers, students try to achieve the tone in one go and usually burn too hot at the start.  What happens is the smooth tone you set out for will turn out splotchy and probably darker that you want.  Remember you can always go over it again for darker tones.  

To remedy, try to shoot for a shade or two light that you need, then slowly go over again until it darkens up.  Yes it takes longer, bur by going over it again you will fill in any holes and gaps and it will turn out smoother.

3. YOU ARE IMPATIENT

I know it is difficult but trying to get your burning done in one sitting is most likely not going to happen unless your gourd is very small.  Impatience will lead to you being tempted to do what we talked about in points 1 and 2, as well as not paying close attention to where your tonal values are and burning it just to "get it done".  Pyrography and rushing just do not go hand in hand.  
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The solution?  Learn to love the process.  Although you may be anxious to see your idea burn in you mind come to life under your fingers, this is a special thing and not to be rushes.  I love the time I can sit and work on a gourd burning, watching my design unfold and enter into this calm feeling of timelessness.  Even if you are on a limited time frame to work on your gourd pyrography, set realistic goals for yourself in the time you have to give.  Know and accept that in this time you may only complete a few square inches, and that is ok.

4. YOU ARE COVERING TOO MUCH GROUND

This one I see all too frequently.  Students moving the pen, frantically this way and that and not giving the pen time to do its work.  Or using wide swift strokes, the pen's contact mostly being at the beginning and end of the stroke resulting in spots as the pen swings back and forth.

​The fix here Is to keep your pen In contact with the gourd, and use small strokes close together.

5. INCONSISTENT SPEED

When you are burning, keep an eye on the speed you are moving your pen.   Do you move the pen fast, then slow down and then proceed to move it fast again?  This could be another culprit of why your shading is turning out spotty and uneven.  Sometimes a design or the gourd itself necessitates a change in pen speed bur this is when it is controlled and intentional.  Again, temperature plays a big role here.  If you like to keep your pen fairly hot then you will need to move your pen faster, hence if you keep the pen cooler you will need to slow it down, in either case, try to keep it moving at a steady, consistent pace.

6. IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S YOUR PEN

Several reasons could point to why it's your pen.  First is to check your connections.  A sloppy connection from the cord to the pen, or the pen to the burner regulator would cause it not not heat properly, or not at all.  Make sure the cords are pushed in all the way.  This is more common than you think, and like turning your computer off and on again will solve the issue!

​Another common issue is your pen is simply dirty.  Excess carbon build up will definitely decrease the smoothness of your burning, as there is now a grit on your pen that you are trying to scrape across the gourd.  If you are burning and it feels gritty, it is time to clean your pen.  Long periods of neglect will require a good cleaning with something abrasive.  I use a piece of leather with a tiny bit of fine honing compound added to it.  But beware of doing this too often, as it will cause more wear and tear on your pen. 

The best thing to do is frequently wipe your pen down on a piece of thick cloth, I like to use a piece of denim cut from old jeans.  That way the carbon will not build up over time and you will save the life of your pen.

7. IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S YOUR GOURD

When all else fails, it just may be your gourd.  I hate to lay the blame on the poor gourd but there you have it.  I have had to put a few gourds aside because they just were not burning well.  Some varieties, such as cannonball and basketball, are well known for their waxy residue on their shell. Some gourds have a more pronounces crackly appearance, like leather that causes fine lines when you burn over them as the heat does not get to the recessed areas.  If this is the case, you can either "go with the flow" and incorporate that into your design.  Or you can just use this gourd for a different type of project, listen to what your gourd wants!
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Another tip here, mold patterns can also alter the density or how quickly a gourd burns, sometimes the light areas burn fast, or even the darker ones may.  That is yet another reason to start with a lower heat while you get to know the idioyncrities of the gourd you are working on.

Hope this helped you!  Is gourd shading difficult for you?  Or maybe something else?  Let's talk about it, leave a comment and let me know!
Until next time, 
​Happy Gourding!