First Steps In Pyrography a 'Fire Art' 6

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FIRST STEPS IN PYROGRAPHY OR FIRE ART ?

When I began wood burning I selected many patterns and pictures that were simplistic but realised that of course these would not be looked upon as pieces of art work in themselves. So I decided that I would begin to develop my work in a more artistic way because this would be more enjoyable to me as a hobby. Don’t panic if this is not for you!

There are so many different opportunities that you can develop for yourself when you have mastered the basics in pyrography. You can make gifts for your friends or create small pieces of work to sell on a stall to raise funds for charity etc. Pyrography also offers anyone a chance to set themselves up in their own little business if they so wish.

It is easy to buy a range of basic wooden household items such as boxes, spoons, picture frames etc that you can burn patterns onto, from wood burning supply catalogues. The more simple the design the more effective the image will look as a decoration upon a household item of your choice.

If you make up your mind to practise as much as possible and get your pyrography up to a consistent standard, then you can begin to generate products that could be sold at craft fairs etc. What a brilliant way this is to make extra cash and also make some new friends! I am a single mum so perhaps I should act upon my own advice!

With this kind of hobby you can work at home in the darker winter months producing items to sell, then during the warmer months, market your products at craft fairs, village fetes and even car boots! If you are really productive then you could work and sell all year round, as the Christmas period also offers many venues where you can put up your items for sale!

The range of items you can produce is open ended because there are so many ideas to choose from. You might like to specialise in a particular area such as creating a collection for children of wooden toys that have been burned with images/personalised with a child’s name.

Perhaps you might like to set yourself up with a series of kitchen wares which you could theme:- for example around the seasons. Or you might produce general household goods with a series of designs that are original to you.

If you have children you can create smaller items to sell at school fetes to raise money if you wish or for any other charitable cause. If you get really good at pyrography you could even teach others the skill.

As I mentioned before there are so many possibilities with wood burning. Not only does it give you the chance to be creative, it is also therapeutic as it cannot be rushed and allows you to express your emotion in an imaginative way.

What could be better than to turn this rewarding hobby into an enjoyable and rewarding little business?

In my blogs so far, I have given a short outline of what wood burning or pyrography offers to the newcomer. I hope that my remarks have given you a brief introduction and helped you to decide if you would like to become more involved in Fire Art.

Next time:- How to create different textures.
Plus Re-discovered burnt etching secrets from a long lost book.

First Steps In Pyrography or 'Fire Art' 5

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FIRST STEPS IN PYROGRAPHY OR FIRE ART

To produce a good piece of pyrography you really need to have the capacity to use your powers of observation.

Observation is a skill in itself that comes from learning the art of concentration and being able to observe and replicate information accurately.

So take the time to truly look at the image that you want to use in your design. Carefully study the light and darks in the picture and the areas of grey to help you determine what kind of shading is required and pay particular attention to pattern.

Practise on a piece of spare wood the kind of marks you may use, trying different nibs/points to create the effects that you want. After putting in some concentrated effort you will realise that the lightness of your touch upon your pyrography tool and the length of time you hold the point upon the wood will determine the colour of wood burn.

Remember to go easy on yourself if your first piece of work does not meet your own exacting standards.

When you buy an item of quality, it will not have been be produced quickly but clearly will have been produced by someone with great expertise.This hard earned experience comes from a history of applied thought and also from continued patience and experimentation.

Don't be put off by this because pyrography is a skill that with some practise your knowledge of wood and also pyrography equipment (in particular nib/points that you use), will quickly become second nature. You will also remember the strength of touch required on the types of wood you have chosen and how to create levels of shading.

I have to admit that I have always enjoyed drawing and I guess I’m okay at it. Pastels pictures that I have created are just one step onwards from pencil drawing but I usually end up making a mess of my watercolours because I don’t know when to stop adding colour, I just can’t judge when to leave the picture alone.

So pyrography has given me the opportunity to express my art with an easier kind of progression.

First of all by burning sepia tones and then later on I have learned to add different forms of colour (watercolours, inks etc), sparingly at first, one simple shade a time. Eventually I learned how to allow artists colours to enhance my pyrographic work.

My first attempt of pyrography was a simplistic etching of the face of my cat whilst he was asleep. I drew a basic outline of the shape of his face and used a selection of different nibs to create his eyes/nose/mouth and the pattern of his fur. I was really impressed that I had been able to create his image quite easily and his face looked reasonably good, giving me the confidence to try more difficult projects.

One of the good aspects of pyrography and wood burning is the ease by which you can create a simple design and it can be made to look very professional once you have learned how to add colour and to finish off your piece of wood with a laquer or varnish.

Enjoy yourself experimenting with shading, pattern and getting used to different nibs to make a your first pyrographic marks upon wood!

First Steps In Pyrography or 'Fire Art' 4

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FIRST STEPS IN PYROGRAPHY OR FIRE ART

You will probably have practised shading and applying different marks upon several kinds of wood and so you can begin to think about producing a design of your own.

What should you do first?

Develop your own patterns and designs with the use of tracing paper and templates if you wish, you do not have to be able to draw. Visit a few craft supply shops and take your time to look at what they sell. Make a note of what may be useful to buy at a later stage.

For a first attempt at wood burning, I would choose to keep your design uncomplicated, then the end result will be more effective. Try to find something that has a simple and easily identifiable outline such as tracing around a drinks coaster or an upturned glass with a soft pencil or drawing a simple flower shape.

Next have a go at burning it onto a piece of wood using a ball type nib which will slide more easily to create the curve of your shape. One step onwards from this might be to select a slightly more complicated shape - for instance try a shape with corners.

Your next progression could be to choose a flower picture in 3D. Look at it carefully and decide which areas will be lighter and those that will be darker in colour. For instance - if you outline a flower with a dark line then you could use slightly lighter lines for the veins on the petals. You can illustrate the colour of your flower by applying a hint of soft sepia shading to the petals or you may choose to burn the background around the flower in a darker colour leaving the flower's relief looking lighter in tone. You can apply different levels of shading to give depth.

If you are feeling more adventurous you might select a copy of a simple black and white picture. Don’t choose anything too big or ambitious as the end result may be quite difficult to achieve for a first timer and this could put you off pyrography altogether. When you have selected a good image, copy or trace the strong outlines onto your wood. Take your time to decide what shapes in the picture need to be burned into more deeply to produce the different levels of shading.

TIP Try starting with the lighter shading and then gradually build up the temperature of your machine to burn on the darker areas. It is far easier to cover up a mistake if only lightly burned but once you burn into your wood deeply then the dark tones will be permanent.

First Steps In Pyrography or 'Fire Art' 3

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FIRST STEPS IN PYROGRAPHY OR FIRE ART

When you are practising a new skill then you need a supply of materials that you can practise on that won’t cost you a fortune! This is assuming that you like me, need to be balanced about what you spend on a new hobby.

Before I discovered my local supply of wood, I went down to the hardware store and bought myself a collection of pine pieces upon which to practise my new skill as they were cheap. - (see elephant picture).

At first I thought nothing about wood toxicity and the fumes given off from burning it. It was only after my first few trials of wood burning that I went back to the hardware store and bought a paper mask to wear.

In the beginning I didn’t realise that woods such as pine that contain a resin when burnt, can give off toxic fumes. The acrid smell actually caught the back of my throat making me cough. After reading information about wood toxicity I realised that the use of a mask is very important when burning those woods that have a resin or are coated and sealed with lacquers, also woods that have been treated with chemicals. Always work in a well ventilated room!

Sometimes when burning woods to a darker colour, soot deposits build up on your pyrographic tool and it may cause more smoke which you might breath in. The best option of all is to use a wire brush and keep brushing off any residue that may be left after deep burning and wear your mask.

Health and safety are top of the agenda in public places including work and learning establishments, so make sure that you keep this in the forefront of your mind whenever you practise wood burning.

Pyrography is a 'Fire Art' and fire must be kept under control, your safety is as important as any other persons, please don‘t be careless or take unsafe shortcuts, it’s not worth it! Always switch off your machine when not in use, never leave a machine unattended if switched on, much better to be safe than sorry! If you leave other materials too near a machine that is switched on and they catch alight it will be seconds before the fire spreads, so take great care!

If you have young children keep them out of your working area but if they are older and would like to learn how to use a pyrography machine, then you must keep them under very close supervision. Pyrography machines reach temperatures of 550degrees or more it doesn’t take much imagination to see what would happen if a child accidentally touched the point or nib of a machine.

If you choose to work with materials other than a pure wood make sure that you check that the material does not give off any noxious or poisonous fumes when burnt.

When in doubt always check the material is suitable for burning, then you can relax and enjoy your new hobby!

First Steps In Pyrography a 'Fire Art' 2

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First Steps In Pyrography or Fire Art

One of the things I enjoy most about pyrography is selecting the pieces of wood that I am going to work with.

In the past I have usually bought from a local woodturning centre that sells a range of seasoned woods that are from reliable sources, (they are timbers taken from managed forests).

Most of my work is etched onto unfinished pieces of wood, by this I mean wood in it’s raw state and not already turned into a useable item such as the plate decorated with a dragonfly - pictured in my blog.

If you do not have access to a wood turning centre, then you can obtain your wood supplies and ready made blanks from a pyrographic suppliers.

I have worked with a variety of different woods such as Sycamore, Ash, Lime, Oak, Beech and Pine. I am still learning as my education in wood burning and fire art is an open ended process.

Treat the material that you work on with care and take your time to burn your designs in a methodical way, this will help you to create an item that has quality.

So what should your next step into learning pyrography or the art of wood burning be?

Familiarise yourself with the subject of burnt wood etching by reading books borrowed through your local library or from research on the internet. Look at the kinds of work that can be produced by pyrographers.

There are different styles of machine that you can buy and so it is sensible to check these out before you decide to make a purchase. Look at the effects that are achievable with each type of machine and choose one that you think that you could work with. When you are researching manufacturers that sell pyrographic equipment have a look at the range of ready made objects that you can buy to create your own products.

I use a Janik pyrography machine. Janik manufacture several different kinds of machine, some of them have a facility that allows you to select from a variety of nibs/points. These can be easily fitted onto the machine and can help you to create a combination of results. Peter Child also produces pyrography machines that offer different types of tool heads to those of Janik’s.

In both types of machine it would be a mistake to assume that the points/nibs work as a pen nib would work. It takes practise and time to build up your knowledge and judgement of the length of time required to hold a nib/point upon the wood to create the mark and colour to your material.

IDEA When I first began wood burning, I found it extremely useful to keep a record for reference of the effects that can be achieved on particular types of wood. I made up a few test pieces on scraps of woods with an example mark from each point/nib that I had used for burning. I kept a note of the temperature setting of the machine.

TIP Beware of burning your fingers by touching the metal part of the nib and also the lower part of the tool that your nib is screwed into as this usually becomes very warm. I found at first that when I held the tool for burning, I would be concentrating so hard on my design that my fingers would move down perilously close to the hot metal nib. I eventually learned to relax and kept changing my grip a little, this stopped me from getting over heated and cramped fingers!

First Steps In Pyrography a 'Fire Art' 1

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First Steps In Pyrography A Fire Art

This blog is about the Art of Pyrography - (burning images onto wood and also other materials). Pyrography is an old craft that could be developed from being an interest and pastime into a more profitable hobby.

Why not read on and learn a little more about the traditional craft of Pyrography ( burnt wood etching). It is a skill which offers a free range of limitless possibilities and also gives you the chance to keep a long established skill alive and to encourage others to try it out!

You really don’t need to be good at art and drawing to be able to produce a piece of work that looks great but you do need to be willing to learn step by step. It's best to take things slowly at the start as this will enable you eventually to achieve a good finish and end result to your pieces of pyrography.

I am not a professional pyrographer though I am happy to say I have sold some of my work. I find pyrography both theraputic and enjoyable, so bearing this in mind I thought it would be useful to write about what I have learned so far.

I would encourage anyone to try out this very old craft because by it’s nature it allows you to be able to produce a good piece of ‘Fire Art’ work with very little drawing skill. It is a very satisfying way to spend a few spare hours in the week and you never know it may develop into more than just a little hobby!

What I really like about pyrography is, the instant connection that it has with our natural world, this is because one of the most favoured materials used to burn upon is wood. Pyrographers also burn into materials such as leather, paper, cork and sometimes textiles such as felt. During the early part of the last century pryography was also used to etch images into glass.

I will write mainly about working on wood as I find working with wood very rewarding as there are such a variety of different timbers to choose from and the end product design and visual effects can be so diverse..

Each piece of wood has it’s own fascinating pattern of grain with swirls which remind me of the contours that you encounter on maps.

Sometimes you may find areas of concentric circles within wood which translated on a map define the ‘three D’ image of our landscape. When they are found in a piece of wood, their patterns can help you to create a design.

At the beginning you should find out about the type of wood and the degree of burning required to create a particular level of colour, it isn't difficult!

The idea is similar to the way you might use a soft drawing pencil to produce different levels of light and dark with the use of shading, only you will find out about heat, burning and depth of colour that can be produced from using your machine at a selection of temperatures.

At first you need to spend some time experimenting, this can be fun! You will learn about the effects that different nibs create upon your wood.

Don’t let the thought of learning these techniques put you off because although the idea may seem to have some similarities to drawing, wood burning isn’t difficult and you will be amazed at the images that you can create with very little practise!

At the moment I am in the middle of some research about the history of pyrography and I have come across a very old pyrography book which I hope to tell you about in later blogs.

Recommended Reading

I have read a number of books on the topic of Pyrography and would particularly like to recommend that you read Sue Walters book especially if you are interested as I am in a more artistic approach to Pyrography. It is called Pyrography Workbook (A Complete Guide to the Art of Woodburning).

This is a beautifully presented book which looks at the basics of wood burning and the choices of different types of machines/nibs, also materials that you can use. It offers the reader a selection of projects for themselves including a first step easy project and more advanced projects to try out.

Bye4now Sam