Celtic knotwork pyrography (picheavy)

[firecrest]

I got a Firewriter some time ago but never used it before, so this is my first attempt. I decided my pastels needed a new home so I decorated a box by picking some designs out of traditional works such as the book of Kells and Lindesfarne text (which I have compiled in a brilliant book called Celtic Design by Aidan Meehan) after learning how to do the knotwork I free-handed the designs onto the box , altering them to suit how I wanted the box to look.

If anybody hasnt heard of Pyrography before its a pen like tool that burns into wood like a soldering iron. You can see the technique I used in the last picture - pointilism, which also texturised the wood. The victorians used to use hot pokers in the fire to paint this way, or a magnifying glass can be used so its a way of decorating wooden objects that can be used out by the campfire as well as at home.
Incidentally I found when the fire pen hit the grain of the wood it went up in a puff of smoke and quickly burned a blotch, which is why the pointilism worked best for me. I got a peice of pine to do a nice big picture on only to find the pen skidded over the grain instead and pointilism caused the tar to leak out and cause havoc. Does anybody have a good idea as to what wood would work best? I dont know what wood the box is.

 

[Mesquite]

That looks superb Lindsey.

 

[firecrest]

took me all weekend

 

[jojo]

Did you say "freehand" Wow! Beautiful work. There is a good book on pyrography "Pyrography Workbook, A complete guide to to the art of woodburning, by Sue Walkers
. There is along list of suitable wood in there, I'll have to look it up, but light coloured, even grained woods are generally the most suitable, birch, beech, cherry, holly, maple, poplar etc.You can also "wood burn" leather and paper, hot and cold pressed, acid free rag paper, can be used. Leather stinks!

 

[Melonfish]

YIKES! thats amazing!
i've got the standard Knotwork book by Aidan Meehan and its a superb guide!
rats i'm going to have to get my pyrography kit out now and test this myself. i've only ever done drawings and edgings
pete

 

[Eric_Methven]

That looks like a balsa box Lindsey. The best woods are birch, beech and sycamore.
Excellent design work there.

Eric

 

[firecrest]

will the local timbershop do these woods? I got the pine from BnQ which was overpriced and supposed to be a DIY shelf. I had to buy that because they didnt do small cuts of wood and I have to carry the wood plonked on the top of my head because I don't have no car!

 

[Shewie]

Wow Lindz, that`s superb

 

[firecrest]

Did you say "freehand" Wow! Beautiful work. There is a good book on pyrography "Pyrography Workbook, A complete guide to to the art of woodburning, by Sue Walkers
. There is along list of suitable wood in there, I'll have to look it up, but light coloured, even grained woods are generally the most suitable, birch, beech, cherry, holly, maple, poplar etc.You can also "wood burn" leather and paper, hot and cold pressed, acid free rag paper, can be used. Leather stinks!

Yup, I do things freehand, never needed a ruler (actually Id probably benefit immensely from tidying up with a ruler!)
That sounds like a book I need. the fire pen was a cheap one from hobbycraft, cheap being £30 but the ones on youtube are all using a rather more proffessional , and possibly hotter device.

 

[Singeblister]

wow linz thats the dogs danglers

 

[MartinK9]

That is supurb

 

[andywinkk]

Very nice linz, is that for your cigars ? lol

 

[decorum]

Very nice linz, is that for your cigars ? lol

Nope, for pig eyes


Stunning as usual. Free hand :tongue-ti :notworthy .

 

[stevesteve]

That's lovely work!

Cheers

Steve

 

[BigShot]

I'm really glad you gave the name of the book with the artwork from the Book of Kells and Lindesfarne Text - I'd have been asking what they were.
I'd love to get a better look at those books, but all the things I've found online have been pretty low grade photos that just don't do them justice.

The long knots look great and I particularly like the end panel in the 2nd and 3rd pictures.

Lovely work.


I assume you mean the Lindesfarne Gospels - right?
I'm not aware of another text from there but worth asking.

 

[strix]

Fantastic work !!!

I have got a few bits of wood lying around, a small slab of cherry, smaller slab of maple, which if any use to you, you can have.

Cheers
Paul

 

[Bodge]

bloody ell Lindz well done.

 

[Wayland]

Great stuff as usual Linz.

You know you can use a nail and a pair of pliers to do that in the field with a fire as well don't you?

Take a look at some of the stuff Patrick has posted a lot of his stuff uses that for decoration.

 

[gregorach]

Yeah, that's pretty impressive - I find knotwork hard enough with a pencil and eraser. There's no rubbing out with pyrography!

 

[Aragorn]

really nice linz, have you got any carpenters shops or like like near where you live, they may have off cuts you could have for free. can't wait to see the next one, may even have a go myself, what temp would you have to get up to, i've got a gas soldeing iron in the garage may have to dig it out.