Learning Pyrography

This pyrography art of Jimi Hendrix is a personal piece created by the artist. It will never be sold and prints will not be available due to copyright laws.

Pyrography (pyrogravure) - or wood burning (sometimes spelled woodburning) was also known as “pokerwork” and was particularly popular in Victorian times. The early “pokerwork” was accomplished by heating a metal object and using the hot poker to make a burn mark on the wood, much like branding. It can also be accomplished using the sun and a magnifying glass to burn the wood.

After messing around with the magnifying glass method as a kid, I then played around with my Dad’s soldering iron. No variable heat control. Super fat handle and a really chunky nib. Not ideal, but it was faster than the magnifying glass method and I didn’t have to wait for a really sunny day to use it. Of course once my Dad caught me using it without permission I heard, “what the hell do you think you are doing!?” Well… it was quite obvious what I was doing and it wasn’t long after that I had my very own super fat handle, chunky nib tool without heat control.

Modern day pyro tools are a huge step up from where I began. A variable heat control power supply coupled with an assortment of specialized nibs (or tips)  gives the user much more latitude in achieving a wide variety of tonal values. Going in “low and slow” to obtain desired effects works very well. By that I mean start with a low temperature and scorch slowly with the tool and build up from there. The tendency for a novice to burn too hot and burn gouge marks into the wood is real. Novices sometimes don’t realize that this is not an art that can be accomplished with great speed and you need patience. When I make pyro art with modern tools, seeing smoke emanating from burning the wood is certainly not the norm.

While I learned pyrography on my own through trial and error, with access to the internet you now have a plethora of options. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced pyrography artist, information and instruction exists so you can learn, share and advance your skill set. Books, tutorials, and YouTube are all good resources. Plus, if you’re on Facebook - search for “pyrography” there and you will find many groups you can join. The groups really are a great place to see art created as well as instruction and tips for beginners. And, you could make some cool like-minded friends along the way as I have.

One question that is always asked by pyrographers starting out is, what equipment should I buy? What equipment is the best? To that, I say… the “best” starting equipment is something that actually gets used.

Starting out, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a feel for handcrafting pyrography. While I wouldn’t recommend starting with a soldering iron like I did, there are some inexpensive options out there. Although I’m not recommending specific brands here, the one thing I would recommend if you decide you want to stick with it and upgrade your equipment is to get one with polished tips/nibs. Polished metal glides over the surface of the wood much easier than unpolished, and they don’t accumulate carbon residue.

If you’re even the least bit interested in pyrography, give it a go! Don’t worry how “perfect” it is. Don’t compare yourself to others. Allow yourself room to bloom. Stop the negative thought stream, that creative killing bullshit that says I can’t, I’m not good enough, etc. Instead, engage the creative child that resides within you and just PLAY!

Remember how much play taught you as a child. Let go and have fun by tapping into that hidden superpower you’ve got. It doesn’t matter how old you are today, the importance of play and having fun cannot be underestimated.

Oh, and that negative phrase, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It’s total bullshit.