It's About Layers

Pyrography, like most art forms, is accomplished in layers. A piece of pyrography is built up, layer by layer, step by step, one detail over another.

Take, as an example, this closeup of the Tendrils pentacle, in progress.

You can see each layer unfolding in one snapshot: the delicate  line work; the graphic blackwork; the more subtle shading; the final bold outline.

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Sometimes, a piece develops very logically, step by step. The spoons are a good example. Nearly every spoon design follows a definite pattern during it's creation.

More often, the layers flow more naturally, overlapping. The techniques used, the layers being worked, change as quickly as metal can heat and cool.

The key to pyrography is patience: being willing to wait. Not only does burning take a long time--far longer than it takes to make a pen line or a brushstroke--but the layering process takes its time, as well. Often, each layer will require a new pen tip, and each pen tip needs to cool down and heat up. It takes longer to heat a pen tip than it does to, for example, clean a paint brush. Think of this time as a meditative period, to reflect on your work, examine your progress, or just clear your mind before the next layer begins.