Pyrography Handbook

by Stephen Poole

Write with fire! That's pyrography, where a red-hot wire "pen" burns images onto wood to produce an abundance of textures and shadings. No formal training or costly equipment is necessary, only this tool and a jam-packed manual that reveals the secrets of this craft. Choose from several woods and types of pens, and practice forming wire nibs. Each project raises the difficulty a notch and covers a different technique. Samplers provide fertile training ground, as you essay a multitude of pyrographed "stitches", each photographed in close-up. Simple compositions of wild grasses get you started, a butterfly design teaches depth and tone, an adorable mouse requires lifelike textures, and a budding flower demands shading. Add color to your designs, and see how to negotiate the sometimes tricky curves of woodturned objects. Advanced pyrographers will want to complete the marvelously detailed picture of an old-fashioned Romany caravan. Bonus: templates perfect for copying and decorating a variety of wood objects!

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998