Burning patterns and pictures into wood requires a few special tools and a small amount of patience to learn and develop the skill in using a wood-burning pen. There are a few basic steps to help a beginner learn the skill of burning patterns into wood.
1. Find a surface that is suitable and prepare it for burning. The simplest and easiest way to find wood that is prepared and ready for burning is at your local craft store. You can also try searching on the internet for wood-burning supplies if there are no crafts stores in your area. When selecting suitable wood, look for round centers cut from tree trunks that still have the bark along the outer edges. If you would like a more sophisticated look, select sanded planks with finished edges, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can also use wood cut from a tree or use scrap wood or board that is found around your house. You should be aware that some species of wood are easier to burn than others. Two types of wood that are known for ease of burning are Basswood and Walnut. You are ready for the next step if you have selected a prepared wood. If you have collected or cut the wood you intend to burn, prepare it by sanding the surface in the direction of the grains. This is so you retain the grain pattern. Then, sand away any rough edges, blow off any excess dust and wipe gently with a cloth.
2. Select a design and transfer it to the surface of the wood. You can use any pattern or picture, including sewing or craft patterns, photos or art, and even images from your own mind can be used. Wood-burning design books can be found at your local craft store. These books feature patterns, designs, and pictures that are absolutely gorgeous. These books also have helpful hints and tips regarding specific ways to shade and draw the designs. Once you have chosen a design, place a piece of graphite paper on top of the wood, the ink side should be facing down. Then, put your design on top and draw over it, which transfers the design to the wood. If you decide to draw your own design using stencils or patterns, be sure to practice on paper first.
3. Choose a wood-burning tool. You can find a wood-burning pen, which is a tool used to burn the pattern onto the wood at your local craft shop or from craft suppliers on the internet. These pens are basically made up of metal rods that look very similar to a writing pen, which are fitted into a hand-friendly holder. Wood-burning pens come with either a fixed tip or interchangeable tips and control units can be bought to help control the heat.
4. Burn the pattern or design you selected using your wood-burning pen. Hold your pen lightly and move the pen towards you, rather than away. Use a pointed tip for making fine lines, a wider tip for fatter lines and for shading. Shading is done by making clusters of dots or lines to create a shaded effect or use a wider tip in a circular motion over an area to darken it.
5. Finish your wood-burning project by using a pencil eraser to remove any leftover lines from the graphite drawing that still shows. For coloring wood-burning patterns and designs there are oil pencils available at your local craft store. Avoid using too much color because it can take the focus away from the natural beauty of the burnt wood and grain pattern. Seal your wok with a varnish designed for wood-burning, when you are finished burning and coloring.