WHAT IS PYROGRAPHY
Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn
marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object
such as a poker. It is also known as pokerwork or wood burning.
Pyrography means "writing with fire" and is the traditional art of using
a heated tip or wire to burn or scorch designs onto natural materials
such as wood or leather. Burning can be done by means of a modern
solid-point tool (similar to a soldering iron) or hot wire tool, or a more
basic method using a metal implement heated in a fire, or even
sunlight concentrated with a magnifying lens.
This allows a great range of natural tones and shades to be achieved -
beautiful subtle effects can create a picture in sepia tones, or strong
dark strokes can make a bold, dramatic design. Varying the type of tip
used, the temperature, or the way the iron is applied to the material all
create different effects. Solid-point machines offer a variety of tip
shapes, and can also be used for "branding" the wood or leather.
Wire-point machines allow the artist to shape the wire into a variety of
configurations, to achieve broad marks or fine lines. This work is
time-consuming, done entirely by hand, with each line of a complex
design drawn individually. After the design is burned in, wooden
objects are often coloured, sometimes boldly or more delicately tinted.
Light-coloured hardwoods such as sycamore, beech and birch are
most commonly used, as their fine grain is not obtrusive, and they
produce the most pleasing contrast. However, other woods, such as
pine or oak, are also used when required. Pyrography is also applied
to leather items, using the same hot-iron technique. Leather lends
itself to bold designs, and also allows very subtle shading to be
achieved. Specialist vegetable-tanned leather must be used for
pyrography, (as modern tanning methods leave chemicals in the
leather which are toxic when burned) typically in light colours for
good contrast.
Pyrography is also popular among gourd crafters and artists, where
designs are burned onto the exterior of a dried hard-shell gourd,
usually with dramatic results.
History
The process has been practiced by a number of cultures including the
Egyptians and some African tribes since the dawn of recorded time.
In the late 19th century, a Melbourne architect by the name of Alfred
Smart discovered that water-based paint could be applied hot to
wood by pumping benzoline fumes through a heated hollow platinum
pencil.
This improved the pokerwork process by allowing the addition of
tinting and shading that previously were impossible. In the early 20th
century, the development of the electric pyrographic hot wire wood
etching machine further automated the pokerwork process.
Pyrography is also a traditional folk art in many European countries,
including Romania, Hungary, as well as countries such as Argentina
in South America. Since 1997 on the base of woodcarver online
magazine (WOM) was established unique resource devoted to
pyrography from around the world - PYROGRAFFITIE and also the
international Museum of Pyrographic Art. The founder of these
resources is a pyrography artist Kathleen M. Garvey Menéndez.
The E-Museum of Pyrographic Art is not intended as a commercial
enterprise, the E-Museum is a unique cultural resource designed to
bring pyrographic art to artists, specialists, collectors and
connoisseurs.
Taken from Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia
Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn
marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object
such as a poker. It is also known as pokerwork or wood burning.
Pyrography means "writing with fire" and is the traditional art of using
a heated tip or wire to burn or scorch designs onto natural materials
such as wood or leather. Burning can be done by means of a modern
solid-point tool (similar to a soldering iron) or hot wire tool, or a more
basic method using a metal implement heated in a fire, or even
sunlight concentrated with a magnifying lens.
This allows a great range of natural tones and shades to be achieved -
beautiful subtle effects can create a picture in sepia tones, or strong
dark strokes can make a bold, dramatic design. Varying the type of tip
used, the temperature, or the way the iron is applied to the material all
create different effects. Solid-point machines offer a variety of tip
shapes, and can also be used for "branding" the wood or leather.
Wire-point machines allow the artist to shape the wire into a variety of
configurations, to achieve broad marks or fine lines. This work is
time-consuming, done entirely by hand, with each line of a complex
design drawn individually. After the design is burned in, wooden
objects are often coloured, sometimes boldly or more delicately tinted.
Light-coloured hardwoods such as sycamore, beech and birch are
most commonly used, as their fine grain is not obtrusive, and they
produce the most pleasing contrast. However, other woods, such as
pine or oak, are also used when required. Pyrography is also applied
to leather items, using the same hot-iron technique. Leather lends
itself to bold designs, and also allows very subtle shading to be
achieved. Specialist vegetable-tanned leather must be used for
pyrography, (as modern tanning methods leave chemicals in the
leather which are toxic when burned) typically in light colours for
good contrast.
Pyrography is also popular among gourd crafters and artists, where
designs are burned onto the exterior of a dried hard-shell gourd,
usually with dramatic results.
History
The process has been practiced by a number of cultures including the
Egyptians and some African tribes since the dawn of recorded time.
In the late 19th century, a Melbourne architect by the name of Alfred
Smart discovered that water-based paint could be applied hot to
wood by pumping benzoline fumes through a heated hollow platinum
pencil.
This improved the pokerwork process by allowing the addition of
tinting and shading that previously were impossible. In the early 20th
century, the development of the electric pyrographic hot wire wood
etching machine further automated the pokerwork process.
Pyrography is also a traditional folk art in many European countries,
including Romania, Hungary, as well as countries such as Argentina
in South America. Since 1997 on the base of woodcarver online
magazine (WOM) was established unique resource devoted to
pyrography from around the world - PYROGRAFFITIE and also the
international Museum of Pyrographic Art. The founder of these
resources is a pyrography artist Kathleen M. Garvey Menéndez.
The E-Museum of Pyrographic Art is not intended as a commercial
enterprise, the E-Museum is a unique cultural resource designed to
bring pyrographic art to artists, specialists, collectors and
connoisseurs.
Taken from Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia
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