Live Studio- Pyrography

Materials needed:

The neat thing about pyrography is that it is very portable. all you need is a burning unit, pens, and something to burn!

I like to use a temperature controlled dual pen burner by optima, but some really beautiful works have been done using a single temp. basic pen like the ones you get at Michael's craft stores!

There are many tips available, but I find myself using the same 2 over and over . they are a small shader, and a skew for fine lines and deeper burns

Optima

Skew

Shader

Once your drawing is on the wood, start laying in your shading working light to dark. start off fairly light, it is much easier to go back and darken than it is to lighten an area. I like to keep a test piece of wood next to me to check the temp. Hold you pen like you would a pencil, I like to use it that way,shading back and forth though some people work away from themselves, and others work toward themselves, there is no hard and fast rule in my book, do whatever is the most comfortable. remember that when you take the pen off the wood, when you return to it, it will be a bit hotter than when you took it off, so to counteract this, keep the pen moving as you bring it to the wood. (It looks kinda spastic, but it works!)

Once your shading is in, start deepening the shadows and adding detail . again, a light hand is what you need! I go back and forth from one area to the next, Remember to hold your pen lightly, and not press it into the wood, let the pen do the work.

When you have the shading where you want it, you can use the skew to detail fine hairs, and darker, deeper lines. Lay the hairs in the same way you would if using a pencil, work light to dark.

It is a good idea to have your practice wood handy, and practice curves, lines, hair etc before you add them to your pyrograph.

It is also easier to turn the wood as you are working instead of your hand, working around the pyrograph.

Practice makes perfect, and don't get discouraged if in the middle of your pyrograph it doesn't look right, If you make a mistake, that's what sandpaper is for!