Newsletter 17

Burning Gourd Quilt

I always advise pyrographers not to think of their burning tools as just a hot pencil, but to keep in mind that burning tips are also a wonderful texturing tool. This will come as no surprise to those of you who have come from the carving fraternity, where you would have initially used your burner to detail feathers etc. But there is a growing group of pyrographers who have taken up burning purely for decorative purposes. Some of you might be unaware of the wonderful versatility of pyrography...how the simple task of repetitive pushing and the burning of patterns can produce a piece that is not only visually exciting but also texturally so.

To help people grasp the possibilities of texture I always encourage them to burn texture squares. Simply put, texture squares are burnt within ruled inch by inch squares. The idea is to use whatever tips you have, even if it's just a few, to burn as many different textures and patterns as you possibly can. Not only is this great practice for pen dexterity but it is also a wonderful way to learn of the full potential of your burning tips.

Many people comment to me how effective the finished texture board looks so, in this project, I've expanded the idea to completely decorate a gourd.

Click on my YouTube Videos link in the menu to see a video on this and many other subjects.

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The Project - In Captions