What is Pyrography?

by Jill West

I am often asked “What is pyrography?” It is simply burning designs and decoration into a material. Traditionally most pyrography is done on wood but it can also be done on gourds, clay and leather. It has been done for centuries. In medieval times it was called “pokerwork”.

The burning tool used today is a far cry from the wood burner that most of us remember from camp and scouts. Those were thick, difficult to hold, tools with a single clunky nib. Today the burners are much easier to  maneuver and work with over a long period to time. It is much more like using a pen. The burners have accurate controls on the amount of heat. Also, craftspeople are not stuck with just one burning point but have a myriad of nibs  from which to choose.

Most of the work I do is with gourds. After burning, I color the gourds with permanent stains and dyes. That is one more advantage of burning in the design. The burn line acts like a barrier and keeps the stain from bleeding into an unwanted area.

Not quite sure how I got started with gourds, but I do so enjoy it still. I heat up my pyrography tool, turn on an audiobook, and can be lost for hours!