Pyrography is a technique that consists of drawing and then engraving by means of heat. Although many usually do it with a device called a pyrograph that burns the wood, paper, leather or other material on which it is made, it can also be done with a natural energy source without the need for electricity, with a magnifying glass and sunlight.
In this note you will learn step by step how to perform this technique that will require accuracy, delicacy, patience, and creativity!
Materials
– Wood plank
– Pencil and eraser
– Ruler, compass or any other element you need depending on the design you choose to make
– Wood saw
– Magnifying glass
Process
1. Design with a pencil the drawing or writing that you want to engrave on the wood.
2. Once you have your sketch ready, place yourself in a place with full sunlight, trying to protect yourself from sunstroke.
Basically the technique is very simple: it involves using the magnifying glass perpendicular to the position of the sun, to concentrate the light beam and thus use its heat to burn the drawing along the lines. You will see that, as you do so, a little smoke will come out.
To make it easier, you can fix the magnifying glass on a stand to easily maintain the focus distance and concentrate on following the trace.
3. Once you finish going over all the edges, use a saw to cut the surface to the size you want and according to the use you want to give your piece.
How does it work?
The magnifying glass, like any lens, does not increase the energy of the sun’s rays, but it does make them converge in such a way that they intersect at one point: the focus or focal point. All the energy is concentrated in it and it is this that allows the surface to be burned.
Designs made with magnifying glass pyrography
While some doubt the accuracy of the magnifying glass, the work of artists like Jordan Mang-Osan proves otherwise. This Filipino creator has been recognized for his landscape and portrait designs created from a magnifying glass that allows him to increase the heat of the sun’s rays at a specific point where it allows him to burn the wood.
Incredible, right? Imagine everything you can create.