by Annamarie Hudson
Have you ever wanted to play with fire? When we were
children, many of us were scolded or warned about the hot stove, only allowed
near flames with s'mores supplies in hand and an adult looking over our shoulders.
However, now that we are adults and know how to handle fire ourselves, we can
wield that heat for art. Pyrography is the ancient art of taking a heated metal
tool and using it to burn images, designs, and writing into wood of all
varieties. Pyrography is also an easy hobby to pick up, as it does not have a
large learning curve and materials are affordable. Pyrography is a fun, easy,
and creative hobby that anyone can learn even without prior experience in art.
Before we walk through the process of pyrography, it would
be beneficial to learn more about the history of the practice. Pyrography is an
art form that has existed since ancient times, and the remains of pyrography
can be found in the history of Egypt, China, Rome, Peru, and a multitude of
European countries (“A Brief History”). In ancient times and the Middle Ages,
pyrography artists would use portable wood stoves to heat metal pokers that
would then be used to burn wood objects including cups, bowls, chests, and
other furniture (“A Brief History”). Nowadays, we use electric multitools with
different attachments that allow for easier use and variation in burning
techniques, an essential tool for the process.
Acquiring this multitool, as well as preparing a proper area
to work in, is the first step of the process. Many craft stores boast sections
dedicated to pyrography, including different versions of the multitool and
various wooden canvases to choose from. When selecting a multitool, choose one
that has multiple attachments, and grab some scrap pieces of untreated wood to
practice on, as well as another piece of wood for your first project. It’s very
important to ensure this wood is untreated, as many sealants used on wood will
produce toxic fumes if burned. You will also need sandpaper for the process, so
purchase fine sandpaper at the craft store or a department store. Once these
items are acquired, you need to choose a burning area. Pyrography will smoke
you out of a poorly ventilated space, so choose an outdoor area or a well
vented indoor area for your workstation. Ensure there is an outlet nearby, and
remove anything flammable from the area.
You can also acquire the wood through natural means, such as
when I gathered cut saplings from my family’s farm. I stripped the bark off the
saplings and allowed them to dry in the attic for around 4 months before I was
able to sand them down and burn them as walking staffs. When gathering natural
wood, it will take months to prepare as the natural moisture in the wood dries,
but there’s something special about collecting your own materials. Collecting
your own wood for your projects will also save the cost of buying them in
store; however, the wood needed for a standard project would cost anywhere from
$3.00-$20.00, so the cost is not so great that I would wait months to finish
most of my projects.
Once you have your equipment and have selected a workspace,
it’s time to prepare your wood and plan your design for your first project. Sand
your wood and scrap pieces down with the sandpaper, then lightly mist them with
water so that they are damp but not wet (Wilkie). Allow the wood to dry, and
then repeat the process another two or three times to completely smooth out the
wood in preparation for burning (Wilkie). Now that your wood is fully prepped
and drying, you can move on to the design of the project. Decide what you want
the end goal of the project to be, search for reference images, and grab a
piece of paper and pencil. Sketch a simple version of what you want to create, and
if you are pleased with the design, you can sketch it very lightly on the wood
itself. However, ensure that any areas you sketch will be burned later, as you
cannot erase these marks without burning over them. With a design in mind, you
can now select a multitool attachment for the project.
Multitool attachments come in many forms, so it’s a good
idea for you to become more familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of each
attachment. When you begin the burning process, test different attachments in
different ways, such as testing how well they create lines, circles, dots, lettering,
and shading. However, a good place to start is the universal point, as it is
the standard attachment and very versatile. Once you have decided on your first
attachment, connect it to the multitool and plug it into an outlet to begin
heating. At this point, be very careful to remove anything flammable in the
area, and do not a touch the metal end with your hands. The tool will heat up
to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is powerful enough to start a fire if you
are not careful. Hold the tool by the safe end, similarly to a pencil, and take
this time to test the multitool attachments on your scrap pieces of wood until
you have a physical familiarity with them, allowing the tool to completely cool
between changing each attachment to prevent burns.
With both mental and physical experience with the burning
process, we can now move on to your first project. Select the attachment you
plan to begin the process with, and heat your multitool. Before you begin,
remember that the process of burning lays down the shadows of an image or
design, so leave places unburned to act as highlights as needed. The pressure with
which you press the tool into the wood will also determine how dark the burns
become, so a good idea is to go over your entire design lightly at first,
laying down soft shadows to get an impression of the design before you go over
it again with deeper shadows. You can also use sharp attachments to create
lines that cut into the wood for depth, which can be useful for adding an
outline to the image if desired.
Once your design is complete, it’s time to add the finishing
touches, clean your station, and store the multitool. Look over your design for
any imperfections and polish it by adding optional textures such as
crosshatching or dots. You can also burn a border to the image if desired, and
burn your signature into either the front or back of the wood. Set your piece
aside, and turn off your multitool. While it cools, clean your station by
sweeping up any chips of wood or sawdust from the process. Grab a pouch or
small box to store your attachments so they don’t get lost, and once your
multitool is cool, store them together for convenience. Once the tool is taken
care of and the station clear, the process is complete, and you now have a
beautiful brand-new piece of art of your own design.
Pyrography is a fun
activity that yields beautiful pieces of art that can be used for almost
anything, and these pieces are both handmade and exactly to your taste. You can
create pieces akin to paintings, create designs using patterns and shapes, or
even treat it as a different form of calligraphy. The possibilities are endless
for the pieces you want to create, and it’s a form of art without a sharp
learning curve or expensive materials. Depending on your selection of wood, you
can have a piece to hang on your wall, a customized box for jewelry, or even a
walking staff with a magical feel. With so much variety under the art form,
there’s something for everyone, and I would encourage anyone to give pyrography
a try.
Works Cited
“A Brief History of Pyrography & Wood Burning Art [Updated].” Working
the Flame, 14 June 2020. workingtheflame.com/history-of-pyrography/.
Wilkie,
Brenda. “Pyrography for Beginners – Jaguar wood burning tutorial (part 1).” Pyrography
Made Easy, 16 Mar 2021.
www.pyrographymadeeasy.com/2021/03/16/pyrography-for-beginners-jaguar-wood-burning-tutorial-part-1/#:~:text=Pyrography%20for%20Beginners%20–%20Jaguar%20wood%20burning%20tutorial,6%20FACIAL%20FEATURES.%20...%207%20THE%20LOG.%20.
There is a festival they have
annually called, Nyepi. They create several, twenty to thirty foot, incredibly
ornate and intricate paper mache and light weight, wood figures to parade down
the streets. Some of them are carried by thirty some people. They are
spectacles, as you can see in the photos I have provided here. The intent for
this festival is to make very scary figures that will scare the evil spirits
off the Island. Once the festival is over there is an entire day of complete
silence so that the spirits, if any left after the ceremony, will leave,
thinking no one is left on the island. During this time of silence, fasting and
meditation, no one is allowed to speak or go outside, including the tourists.
It is an especially important and sacred tradition that I had the privilege to
attend.
