The Burning Post - August 2024

Hot Point # 3: Burn with a Light Touch

Burning images on wood requires a light touch—applying very little pressure with the pen while burning. Beautiful texture can be created when you push the tip of a hot, burning pen into soft wood. The type of texture created will be determined by the shape of the pen tip. However, when you are not trying to create texture, pressing your pen tip onto the wood can result in poorly executed pyrography. Pen tips in the Writer category* can create bumpy lines if pressed while drawing over wood grain. This problem is more prominent when burning on soft wood or end grain. When pressing on the pen, the tip is pushed into the soft grain and, once you start to move the pen, the tip gets snagged on the hard grain, resulting in a slight hesitation which burns a darker blob before the pen finally moves over the hard grain only to catch in the next channel of soft grain.

With additional pressure, the edges of pen tips in the Shader category* can create indentations and snag wood grain when tilted and pressed, especially on soft wood.

The solution to these issues is to learn how to burn with a light touch. A hot pen tip will burn the wood without any additional pressure, supporting the old adage, “Let the tool do the work.” If you learn to burn without applying additional pressure, the pen tip will glide over a smooth wood surface without bumping, snagging, and causing indentations. You want the pen tip in good contact with the wood, just don’t add extra pressure unless you are deliberately making texture marks.

*See the CANDI Ring Chart below for pen categories.    

A First for Pyrography Shows!

This October 26th the first competition show that allows pyrography on different mediums (to our knowledge and research) will be held in Hickory, NC!

The Southeastern Pyrography Association (SEPA) is partnering with
the Catawba Valley Wood Carvers’ annual competition at the
Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop Extravaganza this October 26, 2024.

See attached Show Brochure for details.
Any questions, contact SEPA.Pyrography@gmail.com 
OR
contact Steve Robertson, Show Chairman, at 828-612-4716 (mobile)
or steve_robertson30@yahoo.com