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What is Pyrography?
Pyrography translates to "fire writing" 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 a hot wire tool or the more rudimentary method of using a metal implement heated in a fire. It is also known as pokerwork or wood burning.
A great variety of natural tones and shades can be attained using various strokes and techniques. An artist can produce beautiful, subtle values creating an image in sepia tones or, switching to strong dark strokes, can make bold and dramatic designs. Varying the type of tip, the temperature or the way the iron is applied to the material all generates different effects. The work is time-consuming, done entirely by hand, with each line of a complex illustration drawn individually. After the design is burned in, images can be highlighted with paint or colored pencils, boldly or in a more delicately tinted manner.
Light-colored 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 maple or oak, are also used. Some artists create stunning effects incorporating the grains of particular woods such as olive, pecan and curly maple into landscapes. Pyrography can also be applied to leather items, gourds and tagua nut using the same hot-iron technique.
History of Pyrography
The process of pyrography 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: it is commonly used to decorate Russian nesting dolls. Wood carvers use the tool to burn in the fine details of feathers and scales on realistic carvings of birds and fish.
What is Burl?
Burl woods, sought after by artists such as furniture makers and wood sculptors, feature swirling grain around clusters of dormant buds, rings or eyes. Burls are a result of a tree that undergoes some form of stress. It may be environmental or introduced by man. Most burls grow underground, attached to the roots like a type of malignancy that is not discovered until the tree falls over or is unearthed. Almost all burl is covered by bark even though it is underground.
Redwood, oak, ash, madrone, elm and walnut are common burl species. The exotic burls include mappa, thoya and imboya. Some burls are more highly prized than others. Some burls seem have an explosion of sorts which causes the grain to grow arbitrarily and it is these spectacular patterns that artists prize and covet.
What is Tagua Nut?
Tagua is a form of vegetable ivory harvested from ivory palms in South America. Like true ivory, tagua is dense and creamy yellow in color and can be carved into objects that are traditionally made from ivory. It is viewed as a sustainable alternative to the ivory derived from animals such as elephants. Responsible cultivation and harvesting of tagua is encouraged: it protects the animals hunted for ivory, helps with rain forest conservation by providing valuable habitat for rain forest animals as well as a reason to keep the rain forests standing.
A full grown tagua tree can reach 65 feet in height and will yield several large, knobby, wooden fruits. When the fruit is cracked open, it reveals several hens egg sized tagua nuts, the seeds of the tree. These seeds can be sliced or carved into vegetable ivory products like beads, buttons, and jewelry. |