Gourd Bowl Bead Inlay Tutorial with

A mixture of beeswax, pine resin and other ingredients to create a soft, fragrant wax for inlay

Beadwork inlaid in a mixture of beeswax and pine pitch is an old and colorful tradition of the Huichol Indians of Mexico. These small scale mosaics are often done in gourd bowls, on masks, or on animal fetishes. They often depict sacred symbols meant as offerings to the Gods or containers for good spirits.

Inlaid beadwork is very striking and a joy to create! With a proper wax mixture, beads and a little imagination, you, too, can craft beautiful works of bead art.

I am happy to introduce a product that I have created just for this type of artwork. Beadswax is a high quality, buttery wax mixture with the pleasant smell of honey. Softer than pure beeswax, it will not dry out and reject the beads over time. It works perfectly for long lasting inlaid bead art and is very easy to use.

Beadswax can be applied to many different art surfaces, as long as there is sufficient "tooth" to hold the wax and the surface is not flexible. You may want to try Beadswax on gourd, clay, wood, or paper mache pieces. Consider making decorative masks, figurines, bowls or ornaments. Once you've chosen a piece you'd like to bead you're ready to begin

Above left, paper mache box, egg gourd, and gourd bowl ready for Beadswax. On right, waxed gourd egg and gourd bowl.

Beadswax can be applied two different ways. 1.The method I prefer is to shave pieces from the bar and knead until workable. Then press the wax evenly over the surface to be beaded. Or.... 2.Melt the wax in a double boiler.* Using an old paint brush, paint the melted wax on the surface to be beaded. Once this solidifies follow with another coat or two. The wax should be applied thick enough to push the beads in to 2/3rd's of their depth. *beeswax is flammable, do not leave melting wax unattended

pressing kneaded Beadswax into bowl

outlining bead design

Once the wax is solidified on your art surface you can plan your design and start laying in beads. Lightly scratch your design into the wax with a beading needle. Pick up beads with your beading needle or tweezers and lay them onto the wax. Gently tap the beads in place as you go. As areas are filled in with beads, press over them evenly to seat them no greater than 2/3rds the depth of the bead.

design sketch, bead palate and beginning bowl

Here are some helpful hints learned from my own work. * Sketch a design on paper or consider a cross stitch or bead design pattern. *If your hands are too cold to knead the wax, warm them a bit on a heating pad. *If your hands are chapped you may find the wax sticking to you rather than the art surface. Treat yourself to some hand lotion before you start. *Use whatever size bead you prefer. I use 11/0 high quality seed beads with a uniform shape and size. Different size beads will create interesting textures. *Make a beading tool by adding a polymer clay handle to a bead needle. *Work from the center outward. I sometimes outline shapes of various colors. *If you need to fill in an odd shaped little space, lay a bead or two in sideways. *To clean waxy residue or fingerprints from your work use a soft cloth with a spritz of orange oil.

Once your art work is done, a little care will keep it a beautiful heirloom. Beadswax is mostly beeswax, so you should avoid displaying your work in overly warm or sunny places. If more than a light dusting is required, rinse the piece in cool, soapy water and air dry.

Finished bowl displayed in ivy candle ring

Enjoy the treasure that you have created!

Beadswax comes in 2 oz. bars, enough for 3 to 4 small bowls. Bars are available at $8.95 ea. - includes shipping and handling For purchase or wholesale inquiry email Cindy Lee Art Studio at ezmaclee@comcast.net

Beadswax is also available from the following sources: The Caning Shop (wholesale and retail) at www.caning.com Fire Mountain Gems Primitive Originals Turtle Feather Gourds

Purchase from my studio

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