Pyrography Is A Creative Technique For Anyone

Two things are needed to get started with the art of wood burning. One is a tool to do the burning with and the other is something to put the pyrographic application on. Though we call it wood burning this application can be worked on materials other than wood. Before delving into the materials people are using this technique on, let's think a bit about wood burning tools.

Believe it or not, I started with wood burning with an old soldering iron I found in a box in the garage. It was not the best choice but, it got me motivated. I was actually just fooling around and plugged in the soldering iron and started burning on a 2 x 4 scrap that was sitting on the workbench. Next thing I knew I was getting pretty creative with this soldering iron and I decided to go out and purchase a real tool made for drawing with fire.

About Wood Burning Pens

A hobbyist iron can be purchased in almost any crafts department of your local discount store. Several manufacturers offer equal quality irons for $25. to $30. That is what I used for the first 35 years of my career. It gets the job done. I know artists, like myself who are selling their wood burnings and still using these inexpensive burning pens.

The average iron takes at least 10 minutes to get hot. Experience taught me that all irons do not heat the same. It also depends on where the pen is plug in to an electrical source. It is best to be able to plug directly into a wall socket and not use an extension cord. If an extension cord is needed it should always be a heavy duty cord. A small household extension will not always carry enough power to get the maximum amount of heat to the tip of the iron. This makes it very difficult to get a good dark burn from the iron and slows down the speed of the wood burning process.

Some pyrography tools come with an assortment of points used to achieve different affects. practice using the different points to achieve different marks. Practice is what will make you prolific at this craft. It is wise to have a good pair of pliers and an ashtray or some other heat proof tray to put hot points in when they are removed. It is also a good idea to work on a fireproof surface. The 10 minute waiting period is a great time to set up your work area. Always read any information about the iron you purchase before starting your project.

There are websites available that offer driftwood for sale. It might be a little costly but if you consider the time it takes to go find wood, this might be a good alternative. Click on the links below to check into a few sites offering wood for sale.

• Lake Michigan Driftwood great prices from Indiana and Illinois
  

• Mountain Driftwood that comes from California
• African large pieces
• Get your Delta Driftwood here
• Jockwood has plenty for sale