Pyrography, more commonly known as woodburning, is the creation of art, through fire. This simple craft has allowed many pyrographers to create breathtaking works of art. Pyrography is one of the earliest forms of art known to man, with one such example being a mate cup from the Nazca culture dating back to pre-700 A.D., and currently residing in the Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History in Lima, Peru.
The craft of woodburning can be found in countries all over the world, and has gone by many names. In the Victorian era, woodburning was called “poker work” or “poker art” and is believed to have been the source of the old saying of “having more than one poker in the fire.” Poker artists would typically have two-three pokers available while they worked.
Although wood is the primary medium within the craft, pyrography actually makes use of many materials such as leather, gourds, bone, and other items with burnable surfaces. Burning can add color, shading, depth, and detail to otherwise ordinary works. Wood carvings often make use of woodburning to enhance the final product.
Woodburning Tools
Beginners to woodworking often start with the standard woodburning pen found in most hobby stores. This device allows for interchangeable tips, but generally only provides one temperature setting of approximately 600 degrees. The pen must be allowed to cool completely before tips can be changed.
Advanced burning tools offer variable temperature settings that allow the pyrographer to apply more heat to tougher woods such as Cherry or Cypress. The heat range in the advanced pens range from 600-900 degrees. Some woodburning units allowing for the use of dual pens. The dual pen allows the pyrographer to quickly change to another tip without having to wait for the single pen to cool.
The best woods to work with are light colored woods such as English Sycamore, Balsa, Basswood, Beech, Birch, and Maple. Harder woods such as Pine, Oak, and Cherry present more of a challenge. To provide a smoother working surface, sand the wood smooth and avoid pieces that contain visible knots and other abnormalities.
Woodburning Techniques
One doesn't have to be an artist to begin working with wood. Many beginners start with stencils and experiment with different tips, strokes, pressure, and woods, and there are a number of books on the market that share techniques on woodburning. Fortunately the relative low cost of supplies makes this possible.
The true key to learning the craft is through practice. Woodburning takes time, patience, and often many hours to complete a project, but the end result is often a hobby well worth the effort that can produce a beautiful and unique work of art that lasts a lifetime.
Additional resources can be found at:
- The CarversCompanion
- E-Museum of Pyrographic Art; Kathleen M. Garvey Menéndez, Curator
