There is a range of shading effects that you can use in place of traditional “smooth” shading. Stippling (the use of dots) and cross-hatching (the use of lines) are equally successful in bringing different tonal values into your work. I recommend practicing these techniques on spare pieces of wood, experimenting with the nib that you select, the way that you hold or apply it to the surface, the temperature setting, and the pressure and duration of the contact. These two techniques enable you to change the shading effect that you are creating through changing the size, shape, frequency, and intensity of the marks. Lighter tones are created by spreading the dots or lines further apart, using a lighter touch of the nib onto the surface, or reducing the temperature of the machine itself. The opposite approach can be used to create darker and more intense areas of contrasting tone. Practice a range of methods in order to broaden your pyrography “arsenal” of techniques.
Accessories and Equipment
(A) 180- and 240-grit sandpaper; (B) pliers; (C) needle files; (D) screwdriver; (E) ruler; (F) eraser; (G) pencils; (H) craft scalpel/craft knife; (I) pair of compasses; (J) mechanical pencil; (K) tracing paper; (L) masking tape.
There is a range of basic tools that I always advise any pyrographer to have available when working on their designs. Most of these are used for preparing your designs in terms of the layout or the surface itself and are, therefore, equally as vital as your pyrography machine itself. Below is my list of essential items to consider.
If you have built up a varied collection of pyrography pens or nibs, make sure that you invest in a suitable container for safe storage. Pens need to be stored so that the nibs do not get damaged while not in use, and individual nibs should be kept safe in a holder that prevents them from becoming inadvertently misplaced or lost between sessions.
• Pencils, erasers, and sharpeners for drawing out your design. I find mechanical pencils particularly useful for precise work.
• Measuring tools, including a ruler, pair of compasses, circle stencil templates, protractors, and the like, to ensure your designs are accurate where they need to be.
• Access to a laptop or computer with a dual-purpose printer/scanner to help with creating layouts at the correct size and scale for transferring.
• A desk lamp to provide enough light to work by.
• Tracing paper and masking tape to transfer designs that you use from other sources (and to hold them in place as you do so).
• Cutting tools such as a good pair of scissors or a crafts scalpel/craft knife. If you use the latter, invest in a quality cutting mat to protect your worktop.
• Fine grade sandpaper for preparing wooden surfaces or removing marks made in error.
• A selection of hand tools, including screwdrivers, pliers, needle files, and more, for fitting and adjusting nibs in your pyrography machine.
It is important to keep your pyrography nibs free of the carbon and grit that builds up as you burn. This can easily be achieved by using the edge of a knife blade, scalpel, pair of scissors, or some other sharp blade. Lightly scrape the blade across the surface of the nib to clear the grit. Fine abrasives such as sandpaper can also be used to gently clean nibs, but care must be taken not to use these excessively, as the nibs will wear down more quickly and eventually break. My preferred option is to use a gentler abrasive alternative such as wire wool or the rear of a metal mesh tea strainer, since these do not wear away the nib surface as quickly. One cheap option that is inexpensive and readily available is a kitchen kettle limescale descaler, since these are made of a fine wire wool and are made in small blocks or rings, making them a handy addition to your workspace.
Materials for Use
Pyrography can be used across a range of different materials. Wood is the most traditionally suited to the craft, and this is reflected by the wide range of wooden blanks that are available from both physical and online craft supply retailers. I also enjoy identifying and working with a broad spectrum of woodworkers, such as woodturners, frame makers, and the like. There is no greater pleasure than working on something that has been made to your own specifications for a unique project.
Certain woods are better suited for use with pyrography than others. Birch, ash, sycamore, and lime are perfect for pyrography because they have a fine or smooth grain, while also proving a good natural contrast to the burned marks through their pale tone. Some hard woods can be used but present their own different challenges due to their heavier grain; for example, oak has a dense, tough, and dark surface that can be used when creating bold monotone designs but isn’t as suitable for delicate lines or soft shading. As well as having a sticky sap residue that bubbles up when burning, pine can be very tricky to use due to the frequent changes in texture from hard to soft as you move across the grain. This can result in uneven lines or marks where the wood resists the burning in one area before burning exceptionally easily in the next. My simple recommendation when you decide to try a new wood type is to obtain a small offcut to practice on first. This should help you to ascertain whether the material is suited for the purpose that you have in mind before you spend any wasted effort attempting a masterpiece that is ultimately doomed to failure.
Above all else, avoid manmade wooden materials such as MDF, as the glues used to compress the wooden fibers together are extremely toxic when burned. These would be very harmful if you breathe them in while burning a design into the surface. Burning into MDF is no different from burning into a piece of plastic due to the substances used in its creation. There is never any harm in doing some online research first to see if there are any health and safety warnings associated with a specific wood or material.
Leather and canvas can also be used for pyrography with great success. Lighter tones of each are preferable in order to provide a pale surface that allows the burned marks to stand out, but a subtle effect could be achieved with materials in a darker color. Make it a point to use vegetable-tanned leather in place of regular leather since the latter is made with chemicals that are unpleasant and potentially dangerous when burned. Softer materials require a lighter pressure as you work in order to prevent the nib snagging or catching on the surface, which can ruin the quality of your mark making.
Paper, cardstock, and canvas are all cheap and readily available materials for experimentation. The options available in any good art supplier are practically limitless, and the results can be extremely impressive. One obvious benefit of paper over a material such as wood is that you do not need to prepare the surface before working on it. Paper and cardstock can be purchased in a vast range of colors, thicknesses, and textures, giving you a great deal of scope in finding a perfect material for your project in mind. Experimentation in how you combine your woodburning marks in a design with the individual surface qualities of the chosen material can allow you to create some very special and attractive combinations that are enhanced by each other. As previously mentioned, care must be taken to ensure that you do not select any material that involves the use of potentially harmful dyes or chemicals in the manufacturing process.
There are many other materials that are used by pyrographers outside of the more common choices described above. These include (and are not limited to) bark, cork, bone, horn, antlers, and gourds. Each material brings its own individual qualities and challenges, so do your research before using them and see whether they are suitable to achieve whatever idea or concept you have in mind.
Preparing Wood Surfaces