Do it yourself ...

Pyrography is not necessarily an expensive hobby : even for about � 100 the basic equipment, with which the first steps are made, can be obtained.

In this pages we will show and explain you the basics about pyrography, and give you some information about the equipment needed to try it by yourself.

Only experience can teach you :

There is only one rule in pyrography : only experience can teach you.

Try it, try it again, day after day, ... and above all, believe that also you can do it !

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

Relief pyrography

After mastering most facets of pyrography, you may be tempted to work the wood yourself by applying embossments to create an additional dimension in the pyrography works.

As with standard pyrography work, you start by applying a design in pencil on a planed piece of wood.
 
 

   

 
The use of linden wood is essential. Linden wood is soft and its homogenous weaving structure allows for easy incisions. With a fraise, mill a groove of maximum depth on the outer border around the drawing. This leaves a border that you can use as a frame for the pyrography work.
 
 

 
  The next step is to very carefully remove/cut away the excess wood. For this procedure, you would use the typical tools of a wood sculpture: first, you cut alongside the pencil drawing with small handheld cutting knifes ; then, the first wood mass is cut away with a set of small chisels. It may be necessary to apply larger chisels of fitting form to remove other wooden parts, among others with a hollow chisel, or with round or flat chisels.

 
 
 

This process requires constant thinking of what must be cut away and what must remain. If you wish to make diagonal areas, as with the bat bellow, they must connect logically to the protruding parts as with the nerves below.

 

 

   

Once the desired embossed design has been obtained, everything must be carefully worked on with various sandpapers. Once this step has been completed, only then can the actual pyrography work start. The grooves that are burned into the wood support the embossing. The combination of embossment and color offer the pyrographer an almost unlimited array of possibilities.