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Wood Tattoos is the name I’ve given to my creations using the art of pyrography. There is such visual similarity between the tattoo artist transferring inks to the skin of their client and the pyrographer burning their decorative designs into a piece of wood. I may be slightly unusual (some might say incredibly strange!), but I also find both processes extremely relaxing. The tattoos on my body all mean something to me about a certain stage in my life, and I believe that crafts such as pyrography also have the ability to create something to cherish or remember. I try to recreate that richness and meaning in my pyrography work.

As our technologies have progressed, production techniques have become more advanced and the role of the craftsperson has become more specialized or even marginalized. Handcrafted pieces appeal to us, as they have an identity that many mass-produced items lack. There is often a story behind them, something magical and intangible that can enthral us. The future for such possessions may seem uncertain in the increasingly transient modern culture. How do we form an emotional connection with an item we can only see on a computer screen? How do we experience the warmth, the texture, or the smell of such things? The tactile and sensory pleasure of life is all part of the variety that makes working in crafts so pleasurable and challenging.

Pyrography has always struck me as a community craft, as its practitioners are always so open to sharing tips and techniques. In this book, I hope to give you a feel for my Wood Tattoos style of pyrography, which may be both similar and wildly different than other books written on the subject. Each chapter contains a wealth of information about the techniques and methods I use to create my own designs. Pyrography is an artistic process and it would be impossible to create a definitive list of the ways it can be used, so this book is designed to show you how I have achieved the results for my own work and to start you on the path to discovering your own techniques and style. As with all areas of art, each individual will bring their own individual qualities, interpretations, and ways of expression to their work, making us all uniquely different. As you progress through the chapters, it is my hope your pyrography skills will build until you feel able to achieve whatever results you desire.

This book is designed to show you how I have achieved the results for my own work and to start you on the path to discovering your own techniques and style.

I have also created a number of step-by-step projects to help you try out some of the ideas and tips described: the projects are designed to act as guidance for inspiration, rather than to be followed exactly to the letter, leaving you scope to follow your own creativity. There are galleries of my work included to show you the range of potential available to you when you take up the art of woodburning. Above all else, I hope you pick up on the pleasure that working in pyrography gives me, and take some of that away to inspire your own crafting vision.

And one final word of warning before you start—don’t confuse a pyrography machine with a tattoo kit. It would hurt!

Getting Started will fill you in on what you need to know before you start burning. here.

Chapter 1: Simple Mark Making will take you through your first few experiments with the pyrography pen. By the time you finish this chapter, you’ll be ready to make a set of simple coasters. here.

Chapter 2: Basic Decoration Techniques shows you how to link together the marks you’ve learned to make in order to decorate an object. here.

Chapter 3: Silhouettes walks you through the creation of a basic decorating technique. Silhouettes will hone your shading and mark-making skills. here.

Chapter 4: Drawing with Fire will show you the subtleties of drawing using a pyrography pen. You’ll be able to create a beautiful landscape utilizing the skills you learn here. here.

Chapter 5: Texture and Pattern exposes the world of possibilities for covering a surface with pyrography. You can make a piece of wood look like an ancient stone surface, or even use a microscopic view of coral to decorate an object. here.

Chapter 6: Lettering introduces a vital component of any personalized design: the letters. You’ll learn the important techniques of how to create legible letters. here.

Chapter 7: Portraits illustrates the basics for creating a realistic image of a person or animal using pyrography. here.

Chapter 8: Ideas and Inspiration closes the book with pages chock-full of ideas to utilize your newfound pyrography skills. If you’re stumped for project inspiration, you won’t be for long! here.

Check out the back for useful information on woods for pyrography (Appendix A, here), texture ideas (Appendix B, here), and resources (here).