Pyrography and Wood Burning Projects | Page 9

Apr 19 2017

How to Trace Your Pattern on to Wood

Preparation – Begin by cleaning, and sanding your wood to create a smooth surface on to which you can transfer your pattern. Remove all sanding dust using a dusting brush and clean, dry cloth.

Chose Your Tracing Media – There are three primary tracing products which are graphite paper, carbon paper, newspaper, and a soft #4 to #8 artist pencil.

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Graphite Paper – Graphite paper can be purchased through both office supply and craft stores. It comes in several colors, including gray, white, and blue for easy tracing onto different colors of wood. Graphite leaves a very fine line on the wood and can be erased with a white artist eraser after you have completed your project.

Carbon Paper – Carbon paper comes in 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets and has a very dark, heavy layer of tracing media on the back surface. It is available in deep blue and black colors. Carbon paper lines do not erase easily and should be carved or scraped away as your work your project. Use this media on projects that will receive excessive handling or for long-term projects as it holds up very well. Because carbon paper was primarily used with typewriter to create multiple copies, you may need to do a little searching to find it.

Pencil Rubbing – My favorite way to trace my pattern to the wood is to rub the back of the pattern paper with a #4 to #8 artist pencil. This creates a layer of graphite that will easily transfer to the wood surface as your copy the pattern lines with an ink pen. Pencil rubbings work extremely well for wood, gourds, and even leather. Woodless pencils work wonderfully for tracing.

Newspaper – Heavily printed sheets of newspaper works wonderfully as a tracing media. As you trace along the pattern lines the printer’s ink from the newspaper will leave a dotted line on the wood. This process is especially good for extra large projects as out door signs or long, wide mantel boards. The ink is easily erased with a white artist’s eraser.

1. Adjust your digital pattern as necessary to fit your project piece. Print several copies of your pattern – one for the main tracing, one for cutting and tracing small areas of the pattern, and one for a reference to the detail lines of the design.

You will need a ruler, a small t-square or right angled triangle, a pencil, painters or masking tape, scissors, and several colors of ink pen. Of note, my ruler is cork-backed to grip the wood surface and keep the ruler from sliding.

2. With a right angle triangle or small t-square mark the center vertical line of your project’s surface.

3. Use your ruler to find and mark the center point of your vertical line.

4. With the t-square or right angle triangle, draw a horizontal line across the project surface at the center point of the vertical line.

5. Fold your printed pattern into quarters, matching the outer pattern lines on the sides of the pattern. Place the folded pattern on to the wood, aligning the paper folds to the marked lines on the wood.

If you will using a pencil rubbing for your tracing media, open the folded pattern and rub the back of the pattern to completely cover it with pencil graphite. Refold your pattern and begin the positioning steps.

6. Unfold your pattern, continuing to match folds in the pattern paper with your guidelines. Cut several small strips of painters tape. Use the tape to secure two sides of the pattern paper to the wood surface.

7. Use a colored ink pen to mark any changes you want to make in the pattern, so that you will follow your changes during the tracing process.

8. Slide your tracing media – graphite paper, carbon paper, newspaper – under the printed pattern with the tracing surface against the wood. Trace along the pattern lines with a colored ink pen. Use a light pressure, just enough to transfer the pattern line without leaving an indented score line from the ink pen’s point. When your tracing is complete lift the pattern paper at one of the un-taped corners. Check your work before you remove the pattern paper and tape.

9. Trace only those lines that you really need for your initial working steps. For my Beta Fish relief carving I needed only the outlines of each area of the fish and the outlines of the grass to work the rough out carving steps.

10. When your project work is done, remove any remaining tracing lines using a white artist’s eraser. Avoid colored erasers that can leave dye streaks on your carving or pyrography work.

11. Click on the small image on the right for your free full-sized, printable Beta Fish pattern – a design from Relief Carving Workshop, by Lora Irish.

12. This second example is from the Wood Spirit Carving project posted on the Wood Carving Illustrated Forum. The pattern was transferred to the wood using typewriter carbon paper because the project would require intense handling.

Relief Carving Wood Spirit Grape Man WIP – Over 250 detailed, close-up photos with step-by-step instructions of relief carving the wood spirit, green man face. This thread has had over 69,000 views!

13. After the levels where established in the carving I cut my paper pattern into small sections that could be easily re-traced to the project.

14. Click on the small image to the right for a free full-sized printable pattern.

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Feb 9 2017

Leather Purse Pyrography Project

Leave a Comment / Leather Pyrography / By irish

To often I am so serious about our pyrography work, carefully planning each layer of burning, examining every stroke for even thickness and tonal value, trying to create as perfect as possible a realistic reproduction.

But once in a while I just ‘wanna have fun’. And this is the perfect, just have fun project. Because this was created as a text run for my new book, The Art of Leather Burning, I wasn’t concerned about absolutely matching ever corner or seam, or carefully measuring the distance between every stitching awl hole, or even about how the fill patterns I chose matched the ones I had already burned. The entire idea behind this leather burned purse was to just see what I could do, and how I could do it.

I am a strong advocate of practice boards. Usually this is a small scrap of the same material from which you will work your main project upon which you can experiment with your temperature settings, pen tips, and fill patterns.

Well, this time, when I began my work with pyrography on leather, my practice board got a touch out of hand. I began my text project with a 10 lb. scrap bag of vegetable-dyed leather from Springfield Leather Co. which contained a variety of weights, textures, and species of leather pieces.

What came out of this practice session was a Greenman Slop Bag! This rough and rugged purse measures 7 1/2″ high, 9 1/2″ wide, and 2 3/4″ thick. The front of my purse has a double pocket and the back has one large pocket with a hidden pocket inside of it. Its constructed using an awl to create the stitching holes and the simple double-needle stitching pattern.

I’m not done with this purse yet. To date I have only gotten the front flap, top roll over, and front of the purse body burned. So I still have the entire back, the sides, and the should strap on which to play, and experiment with more fill textures, shading ideas, and even miniature patterns.

Play, practice, experiment, and create … that is our goal!

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Dec 8 2016

Leather Burned Jewelry

Leave a Comment / Leather Pyrography / By irish

Leather Burned Jewelry Gallery of Ideas

Leather Burned Jewelry, Day One
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Two
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Three

Roaring Twenties

SUPPLIES
5” X 3” (14 cm x 7.5 cm) vegetable-tanned leather
2 – 6” lengths of copper chain for necklace
1 – 5” length of copper chain for top hanging chain
1 – 7” length of copper chain for middle hanging chain
1 – 4” length of copper chain for beaded chain
4 – 6 mm round adventurite beads
2 – 6 mm split rings
1 – lobster claw latch
18” – 20-gauge or 18-gauge copper wire

Using your loop-tip, or ball-tip, burn thin, straight lines onto the leather shape.
Begin the lines at the top edge of the leather and pull the lines to the center area of the leather. Work several layers of burned lines, beginning on a medium heat setting and working towards a hot temperature setting.
Use a v-gouge to cut vertical lines in the leather, creating white lines through the burned areas.

Navajo Nation

SUPPLIES
1 – 5 1/2” x 3 1/2” (14 cm x 9 cm) medium weight, vegetable-tanned leather
1 – 5 1/2” x 4” (14 cm x 10.25 cm) medium weight, dark brown scrap leather
2 – 7 1/2” (19 cm) lengths of copper chain
18” length of 20- or 18-gauge copper wire
2 – 8 mm turquoise glass crow roller beads
2 – 6 mm split rings1 – lobster claw latch

Trace the pattern to your vegetable-dyed leather. Using a loop-tip or ball-tip burning pen, fill in each area with a medium temperature burn. Increase the temperature setting slightly and burn a second layer of strokes to the top half of each area. Increase the temperature again to a hot setting and following the photo burn in the black-toned areas of the design. The round end loop of the turquoise glass bead link is worked through both layers of leather.

Forever Yours

SUPPLIES
1 – 5 1/2” x 3” (14 cm x 7.5 cm) medium weight, vegetable-tanned leather
2 – 10 mm copper jump rings
2 – 6 mm copper split rings
2 – 7” (17.75 mm) lengths of copper chain
1 – lobster claw latch

Trace your pattern to the vegetable-tanned leather. With your pyrography unit set on a medium temperature setting, using a ball-tip or shader-tip pen, begin filling the areas of the pattern outside of the heart design with a medium-light tonal value. Use any fill or texture pattern that you like.
Work a second layer of burning on a slightly hotter temperature setting at the center point of the leather necklace and in the outer half of each side. A third burning at a still slightly hotter setting is worked in the outer one-third of each side of the necklace.

Summer Dreams

SUPPLIES
5 1/2” x 3 1/2” (14 cm x 9 cm ) medium weight vegetable-tanned leather
2 – 8 mm square glass beads
2 – 7” ( 18 cm ) long copper chain
2 – 6 mm split rings1 – lobster claw latch
18” – 20-gauge or 18-gauge copper wire

You can add color to your leather burned jewelry by using artist quality colored pencils. Begin this project by tracing your pattern to the cut leather. With your finest line pen, outline the entire pattern to a dark tonal value. Add shading in the petals and leaves using your shader-tip on a medium hot setting. Work the background in a solid dark tone.
When the burning is complete begin adding your color in thin, light layers of pencil work. Use one color over another to create new hues. When the burning is complete begin adding your color in thin, light layers of pencil work. Use one color over another to create new hues. When the coloring is complete give your necklace one to two coats of brush-on acrylic finish.

Steamed

SUPPLIES
5 1/2” x 4” (14 cm x 10.25 cm) medium weight vegetable-tanned leather
2 – 7” ( 18 cm ) long copper chain
2 – 6 mm split rings
1 – lobster claw latch
18” – 20-gauge or 18-gauge copper wire
Assorted leather brads and decorative rivets

With a pencil, create a 1/4” grid on the face of your leather necklace. Fill the grid squares in a checkerboard pattern, varying the tonal values. Fill the right side of the necklace squares with this medium setting tonal value to make the larger block areas. With a low temperature fill the un-worked squares in the central area with a fill texture. Place a small ceramic plate face-down onto your leather and mark a pencil line. With a craft knife cut along the line, on both sides, to open a groove. Add your decorative brads and rivets.

Leather Burned Jewelry Read More »

Dec 7 2016

Leather Burned Jewelry

Leave a Comment / Leather Pyrography / By irish

Step 2 – Creating the Copper Jewelry

Leather Burned Jewelry, Day One
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Two
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Three

Wire-bent and wire-wrapped jewelry is an art that is currently in high favor among crafters. Jewelry supplies are readily available at most large box craft stores and through online shopping.

For my leather burnt necklaces I chose copper wire and findings, but there is a wide variety of wire types that you can use as silver, silver-coated, black, and colored aluminum. Personally, I prefer copper as it is a soft, easy to bend metal that can be tempered through gently hammering into strong, secure links and chains.

Glass beads and lamp work beads are also a favorite for me in jewelry work, but you will find a wonderful selection of gemstones, cut crystal beads, resin beads, and even bone or shell beads that you can use.

Completing your necklace

1 Cut an 8” length of 18-gauge copper wire with your flush cutters.

2 Grip the wire about 3” from one end in your straight pliers. Bend the wire to a 90 degree angle. Move the wire to your round-nose pliers, gripping the wire at the 90 degree angle. Roll the 3” end around the round-nose pliers to create a small loop.

3 Slide the short end of the wire through one of the holes in your leather burnt necklace. Move the wire to center the leather inside of the small loop.

Secure the loop

4 Grip the top of the loop, where it overlaps the long working end of the wire in your straight pliers. Roll the short end of the wire around the long working wire two to three times.

5 Clip the excess short wire with your flush cutters.

6 With your straight pliers crimp the cut end tightly against the long working wire.

Adding beads

7 Slide your chosen beads onto the long working wire. In my necklace I used one 2-mm copper bead, one 16-mm square yellow jade bead, and one 2-mm copper bead.

8 Grip the working wire in your straight pliers, with the tip of the pliers against the last bead. Bend the working wire into a 90 degree angle.

9 Place the 90 degree angle into your round-nose pliers and roll the working wire into a small loop.

Adding the chain

10 The second small loop should be created by holding the wire in the same spot or area of the round-nose pliers as you did the first loop. This keeps the two end loops of the bead dangle the same size.

11 Cut two sections of 2- to 3-mm copper chain 7” long each. Slide the last open link of the chain onto the short end of the loop wire. Move the chain link to the center of the loop.

12 Complete your wire wrapped bead dangles by gripping the small loop in your straight pliers and wrapping the short end wire around the base of the loop two to three times.

Shaping the leather

17 Your leather burned necklace can easily be shaped by simply placing your finished necklace under your kitchen faucet for a few moments, allowing the leather to become wet. Pat the leather necklace dry on a clean cloth. While the necklace is still damp and pliable, lay the necklace on a large, plastic soda glass and with loose (oversized) rubber bands lightly secure into place. Let the necklace dry overnight.

Completed necklace

In the next post I will be sharing five more ideas for this leather burned necklace project, with the free patterns. But here is a preview …

Leather Burned Jewelry Read More »

Dec 5 2016

Leather Burned Jewelry

Leave a Comment / Leather Pyrography / By irish

Art of Leather Burned Jewelry

Leather Burned Jewelry, Day One
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Two
Leather Burned Jewelry, Day Three

I love combining my crafts and hobbies, and in this project we will be working on a quick, fun design that uses leather working, jewelry making, and, of course, pyrography. Today we will get together the supplies, cut out our leather necklace shape, and do the pyrography steps.

In the next post you will find the steps for creating the copper, wire-bent jewelry. Then on day three of this mini-project I will show you how to create 10 quick necklaces out of one pyrography burning that is perfect if you are a craft seller or need a group of Holiday presents this years.

So … let’s get started!

Quilted Jade Necklace Supplies:
5 1/2” x 3 1/2” (14 cm x 9 cm ) medium weight vegetable-tanned leather
bench knife or craft knife
leather hole punch
cotton swab applicators
gum tragacanth edge finish
wooden edge slicker
#4 – #8 soft pencil for tracing
pyrography pen tips – ball, loop, or micro writing tip
white artist eraser
2 – 16 mm square yellow jade beads
1 – 5 mm x 8 mm yellow jade rectangle bead
6 – 3 mm antique copper round beads
2 – 4 mm copper rosettes
2 – 7” ( 18 cm ) long copper chain
2 – 6 mm split rings
1 – lobster claw latch
18” – 20-gauge or 18-gauge copper wire
satin brush-on leather finish

Tracing the pattern

1 Make a printed copy of the pattern for the Quilted Jade Necklace. Cut the pattern out using scissors.
Lay the paper pattern on the raw-hide side of the leather scrap. Using a soft, #4 – #8 pencil, trace around the outside edge of the paper pattern.

Working the leather

2 Place the leather on a cutting mat with the raw-hide side up. Using a craft knife or bench knife, cut the necklace free from the scrap leather. Save the extra scraps from the cut leather block for smaller bracelet shapes and earrings.

3 With a white artist eraser, remove any remaining pencil guidelines from the raw-hide side of the leather necklace.

Creating the grid lines

4 Using the cutting mat ruler marks as your guidelines, create a diagonal 1” square grid on the tanned side of the leather with a soft, #4 – #8 pencil.

5 – 6 With a leather hole punch, cut a 3/16” or 1/4” hole in each side of the necklace to receive the jewelry chain and beads. Create one hole at the center point of the bottom edge of the leather necklace to receive a bead dangle.

Finishing the raw edges

7 With a cotton or wool swab applicator, apply one coat of gum tragacanth along one edge of the leather necklace.

8 Briskly rub the damp edge with a wooden edge slicker. The handle of a large wooden spoon works well in place of a slicker. The gum tragacanth and slicker will polish and round the raw cut edge of your necklace.

Burning the fill textures

9 The pyrography burning for this project is worked as a texture and fill practice board, where each 1” square is filled with a different, small pattern. Have fun creating your own fill patterns or refer to the Fill Pattern Chart with our Mushroom Doodle Pyrography Project.

10 As you work each 1” square, vary the temperature setting of your pyrography pen to create some squares with pale tonal values, some with medium values, and some with dark toned values.

Adding borders

11 With a ball-tip or loop-tip pen, on a hot temperature setting, work along some of the pencil grid lines with a series of evenly spaced, small dots. With the straight edge of a shading pen tip, work the remaining grid lines with evenly spaced, short dash lines.

Shading the lower edge

12 You can add a little touch of shading along the bottom edge of your leather necklace using a shader-tip and a medium temperature setting. Work this layer of shading right over the fill and texture patterns that you have already burned. Rub a white artist’s eraser over your burned surface to remove any dirt, oil, or remaining pencil lines from the leather. Dust with a dry cloth.

Pyrography close-up

Click on the leather cutting patterns below for a full-sized pattern.

Here are two more ideas for your leather burned jewelry necklace, worked with patterns from our Henna Tattoo Pattern Pack.

And, this one!

In the next post I will be showing you how to add your jewelry chain, bead dangles, and copper findings. So, check back soon!

Leather Burned Jewelry Read More »

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