Clean the outer skin away by gently scrubbing the gourd in a sink or tub of water. A plastic kitchen scrubber accomplishes the job well. Any rough spots that are particularly stubborn may be gently removed with a table knife. Mold spots may be painted over.
Stems add to the natural beauty of the gourd and are generally left intact and their natural color.
Basecoat the entire gourd with the primary background color. Be sure that each layer is completely dry before beginning the next step. It will take 2-3 costs to achieve the desired coverage. Lightly transfer the pattern onto the gourd. Since gourds vary in size, you may need to make use of your local copier shop to reduce or enlarge the pattern so that it fits your gourd.