ARTIST question: on using pencils...

I've started designs on several of my gourds, but have discovered I have a BIG PROBLEM... ;-(
I used a regular pencil to sketch the design/pattern onto the gourd's clean (but unstained, untreated) surface.
THEN I did a wash of a translucent (almost see-through) color OVER the design's border/band area, as it was a background color to be behind the intricate design's color. I planned to go over the faint but still visible "wash" of background color, when it was dry, with a fine brush using an opaque black dye/ink.

But the pencil started to "run" and smear under the background color "wash"... and not only is there no design pattern left for me to work with, the bright orange "background" color is now grungy and muddied with the grey-ish color of smeared pencil...;-o

Is there some secret to this? A different kind of pencil? I don't even want to try pen or a Sharpie, as I worry they will "run" even worse...
The paint I used WAS a water-based acrylic. And so are the dyes (that I have not used yet). I did not use my Gilders Paste Wax, yet, either, for obvious reasons (being "waxy", would repel any overlay color)...

Is there some step by step method available for getting a design to the gourd (I sketched it freehand, with a pencil) that I need to know?

Anxious (don't want to lose another gourd),
jip

Hmmmm, Jipsi are you sure the pencil was a lead pencil? I do all my sketching with a #2 pencil , and havent had any running. I do however have the problem of the sketch lines being under a light color and showing through ( and of course , always where I didnt want it too!!).
Check to make sure you arent using a black watercolor pencil.
Your designs are just too beautiful to lose!

Thanks, Eufala...
I do have watercolor pencils, but this was definitely not one of those. Just a plain old "number 2" (and I think it's actually graphite that's used now, although it's still commonly called pencil "lead")...
The number 2 DOES go on a little "dark" (charcoal-y?) on my gourd's surfaces, so I'm wondering if maybe I should try a "lighter" (harder?) pencil (like a #4 perhaps?).

Thanks, too, for the kind compliment (on my designs).... on the orange/turquoise one, there are 4 holes cut, equidistant around in the orange area, where I wanted to put (flat-side in) glass nuggets (to give it kind of a be-jewelled appearance, like I Dream of Jeannie's "bottle", with a hint of being able to see light coming through) and I'm wondering what would be the best way to do this... epoxy, maybe?

Beautiful designs, jip! You're inspiring me. We all need to start posting and inspiring one another -- I need to get some gourd work done and free up the garage space.

My tip - do NOT use leather dye!!! Chances are there is a method for using it that will work, and please share if you know what it is. I used it and the stuff ran and spread like crazy. I'm sticking with pyrography, I think. I have better control with it, and it burns out the pencil marks.