How to paint your Shamanic Drum

Laura Daligan shares her advice on one of our most commonly asked questions

Our Shamanic Drums are very personal to us, sharing experiences with us in our inner journeys that no one else can. It is not uncommon for drum keepers to want to personalise them, to reflect something of that relationship we have with them, and the profound experiences and connections we have shared with them. In that vein, a question that I am often asked is whether or not it is possible to paint hide drums, and if so, what advice would I give. 

Painting Shamanic Drums is not something new, and exists in a number of traditions around the world, from the Coastal Salish Drums which are traditionally painted with depictions of animals or spiritual beings that are part of the culture's stories and mythos, such as the Thunderbird, to the indigenous peoples of northern Scandinavia, the Saami, who also paint their Shamanic Drums with more symbolic, linear depictions, reflecting the otherworld landscape that the drummer journeys to. 

When I am asked about painting Shamanic Drums, the first piece of advice that I give to people is to get to know your drum first, and ask the drum whether it is happy to be painted. This may be when you journey to meet the spirit of your drum, or just tuning into your drum when you are together. Be guided, then, by what the drum tells you, and avoid imposing your own idea of what you want on to the drum. Often people tell me the image they have in their mind of how they want to paint their Shamanic Drum, only to return back from meeting the spirit of their drum to be told something very different. 

However, in regards to practical recommendations, while I’m very confident in my experience as a drum maker, I have painted very few Shamanic Drums, and so to explore this topic, I have invited spiritual artist and internationally renowned mystic and spiritual teacher, Laura Daligan, to tell us more.

Laura graduated from Falmouth College of Art with a degree in Illustration in 2002, and has been painting Shamanic Drums for ten years now, including a number made by Heron Drums, and on this topic, she explains:

‘The process of deciding whether or not to paint a drum is unique to each person. Similar, perhaps, to getting a tattoo, some people immediately know what they want and dive in, whilst others take time to deliberate and feel into it. There is no right or wrong way and I would always suggest journeying with your drum, and asking for guidance around whether it would like to be painted or not, and if so, what essence, symbols or images come through in the journey?

‘It could also be useful to consider how you are intending to work with your drum. For example, will it mainly be used for your own healing and magical practice? Or will you be drumming for a group or community? Once I painted a drum for a client whose intention was to tell stories with her drum at events and in schools, and the painting held that essence.

‘It is really tempting to want to depict all the things you love on one drum, but I often find that the drum holds more power if the painting is a little more focused. You can always have more than one drum! 

‘The most popular subjects I am asked to paint are spirit or power animals, deities, dragons and symbols such as the runes or ogham. I love to paint these images as gateways for people to work with, and I consider it a huge honour to forge a painted connection between someone on their sacred guides.

‘Sometimes these connections come through in interesting ways; I once painted an Owl drum for a lady who had commissioned it in honour of her deceased Grandma. Once I began painting the Owl, I suddenly felt very aware of how untidy my kitchen was. I even felt a judging Owl eye over my undone washing up! When I told the lady this story she began to laugh, as she said her Grandma was obsessed with cleaning, and so it was lovely that her spirit came through via the painting. These are the kind of things I love about drum painting, when we set our intention to create a sacred and meaningful art the results can be so powerful.

‘One of the joys of working with a painted drum is that it's a constant companion and a reminder of your spirit allies and your path, even when you aren’t drumming. It can really help you forge a stronger relationship with the spirit of your guides and your drum.’

Once you are clear on the intention and vision for painting the drum, there are still many practical considerations to be aware of so that the drum itself isn’t damaged by the artwork. Laura gave us her three key recommendations when it comes to painting the drum:

‘I often get asked what paints I use, and the answer is acrylic paints. However, you can also use natural pigment paints, and even acrylic marker pens.

‘If using acrylics my advice would be not to pile the paint on too thickly. You don’t have to scrimp on the paints, but leave big layering of paint to canvases, as it may dull the sound a little and chip off with use.

‘Fix your painting with spray varnish, as it is light and won't affect the sound of the drum. Liquid varnish is too heavy and may affect the drums' sound.’

We hope this helps you reflect on your reasons and intentions around painting your Shamanic Drum, and gives some pointers or steps as to how you might begin. Laura, herself, has a lot of experience painting Shamanic Drums, and has been doing so for people over the past decade. If you are would like Laura to paint your Shamanic Drum, she can discuss this with you.

‘It really is such a pleasure to be able to connect people with their spirit allies through my art and their drums!

‘The drum painting process begins with a conversation into what the client envisions for their drum. Some people have very specific requests and others are more open to see what comes through. Ultimately the drum is the greatest teacher for what it wants on its skin! Once we are settled on an idea, I will sit with the drum, or gently journey with it to connect with its essence. I usually have a little ritual, such as lighting a candle and incense, and calling in the drum’s spirit. Living in Glastonbury I work with the waters of the red and white springs in my art, which adds extra energy to the painting. Sometimes I go through my own journey with each drum, which is always really special, even if it does involve me having to do the washing up! :) ‘

If you are interested in contacting Laura to discuss having your Shamanic Drum painted, you can contact her via her website www.lauradaligan-art.com and you can also follow her art journeys on Instagram at @lauraredwitch