I took up the hobby of wood burning (pyrography) in 2012. I use a Razertip SS-D10 10 Amp Detail Burning System. Most of this work is first designed, laid out, and edited in Adobe Illustrator. I size my output image to my substrate and add registration marks so everything lines up square. I don't have a plotter so I print my template in grayscale on 8.5"x11". With my registration marks I'm able to line up my sheets by taping them together (if my substrate requires a larger format). I use Speedball graphite paper facedown under my template to transfer the image. When transferring, I use TUL 0.5 Gel Pens to stay as close to my line art as possible. The purpose for printing in grayscale is to see where I left off in my transfer should I be interrupted.
Once my image is transferred, I begin the burn process. Once my burn is completed, I decide whether or not I'll add color. If I do, I use colored chalk pencils. Sometimes the stroke of the pencil will show up especially if I go cross grain from the wood. In those instances, I may use water and brush the chalk in or to blend color.
On most works I use Minwax Polyurethane aerosol (if color is used as not to smear the color) or simply brushed on using severeal coats.
MSU Sparty wood burned 19"x14" oak tv tray. This was my very first attempt at wood burning in 2012. It took me about 40 hours to complete. I'm working on refining my technique to speed up my time. www.facebook.com/xlr8edmediawoodburning
This was the second table in a set of four that I worked on (or am still working on). I tried color on this one with chalk pencils and water color. It turned out better than I had hoped.
Lamb of God wood burned plaque 2013. This took about 5 hours from start tofinish.
I thought that it would be a great (and cheap) idea to burn and give away plaques as christmas presents one year.
This piece was commisioned (as a gift) for the artist who designed it, Maddy Sobleskey.
This project was a gift for Jerred and Val Johnson, proprietors of the Ledges Sports Bar & Grill in Grand Ledge, MI.
Butterfly 2014. This project took about 3 hours and was done freehand. There was no template or graphite transfer.
Detroit Tigers wood burned plaque. 2013
This is a project created with Adobe Spark Video by August Ayala Jr. completed at the end of 2016.
