Portraits on Wood - wood burning art, pyrography

Portraits on wood, gives us special gifts for friends and family using wood burning art.

  The love of pyrography is a fun and exciting art, something like painting with fire. Although we have modernized our techniques significantly, it still brings a bit of power to ones center when creating, using a natural element. Not only is it fun but very rewarding. When making portraits on wood it seems as an artist that I become one with the piece. I have done several portrait pieces, some even in duplicate, and each piece is rewarding as you study your subject and bring their image to life from a piece of wood using fire and heat.
  It takes an amazing amount of patience to burn your image, unlike drawing or painting where you are transferring your medium directly, in wood burning art, you are drawing the image out of the wood it seems. As you burn the surface, darkening the wood, the wood gives - through grain and texture to produce a beautiful portrait on wood. Even when duplicating a piece which I love to do, each piece is very different and as unique as the wood itself. When using the technique of pyrography you are applying heat, and as the wood burns you move along slowly creating lines, shadows and textures. You can use different tips, and heat ranges to adjust to the differences in wood to create your piece. This can be time consuming, depending on the types of wood and tools used to achieve the desired effects..
  Portraits on wood offer a special challenge as well, it can seem that you are not only duplicating a persons image but you also want to capture their personality. Shadow and texture building in wood burning art  is key to building that image and creating the personality behind the image. Adding background effects can enhance an image as well as add a bit to the piece and the portraits uniqueness.
  Gifts made from wood burning art, can be very special, and enhance a design or home decor style. They can be rugged in style, made from found wood, or processed wood. The bark can be intact for a natural effect, or you can use pieces that have been rounded, squared and smoothed and varying in shape and size. Many like a stained frame on wood surfaces, as well as the bark frame.
  I have done several portraits of families, children, grandchildren, parents, pets, people on motorcycles, deer hunter portraits with their kills and even portraits of those who have passed on. In each one, these portraits on wood, were special and unique to those who had commissioned my work, and those receiving the items as gifts. I have seen my portraits bring tears and smiles to those who have chosen to honor my skill and work.
I would like to thank all my customers who have brought me such joy in being a part of their families and have let me honor them with my gifts as well. If you are shopping for portraits on wood, using wood burning art, please visit my website, or shoot me an email, and lets create some wonderful gifts.
  Visit my Pyrography Gallery for gift ideas.

Geronimo, Pyrography on Wood

Native American Art, and pyrography on wood can be a beautiful combination. The Knothole is featuring its first in a series of 4, of Great American Indian Chiefs. Highlighting the Native American Era, and its rich history is Geronimo, the first in the artists Great Chiefs Series. Geronimo is featured on a basswood plaque with bark. Using the art of pyrography the famous image of Geronimo kneeling with rifle in 1887 is burned into the wooden plaque.

A serene portrait of an American legend and great warrior, Geronimo was a leader of the Chiricahua Apache Indian tribe in times of war against the white settlers and against Mexico, fiercely protecting his people and land. He was known among the white settlers as "The worst Indian who ever lived", because of his ruthlessness in battle and the ability to escape each capture. One of his more famous escapes is known today and you can visit Geronimo's Cave in New Mexico where his magickal escape occurred.

This basswood plaque is approximately 8" x 9" inches and is finished with the bark intact. An acrylic clear is used to fix the surface of the pyrogrpahy wood art, and secures bark to keep from flaking. The clear is a satin smooth finish, and highlights the pyrographic detail of the piece with a low gloss appearance.

This piece is available at Ebay now and can be purchased Direct from Artist. Follow this link Geronimo on Ebay to purchase this wooden treasure today.

Many more items are available including custom wood portraits at the Knothole Gift Shop. Custom portraits are burned into a variety of wood plaques of your choice. Portraits can include family, friends, animals, pets or vehicles such as old trucks or motorcycles. A wonderful gift using the art of pyrography on wood.

Schedule an appointment with the Artist today through her email following the link.

Coming soon....Qannah Parker....Pyrography on Wood continues featuring, number 2 in the Great American Indian Chiefs, by the Knothole.

Pyrography on Wood - Harley Eagle Logo

Pyrography is the art of burning, and several materials can be used. I prefer wood, and Basswood has been my chosen medium lately. Here you can see a Basswood plaque, featuring a Harley Davidson Eagle Logo. The wood piece, is made to hang diagonally. Using this plaque was easy and minimal preparation was needed. I sanded the piece with a light grit sandpaper, and the edges. Then with a paint brush I removed the sawdust, wiped with a damp towel and drew the eagle. I then painted the edges black, and applied a light orange wash to the face of the wood, but not over the eagle. A few hours to dry and I was ready to burn. This Eagle probably in total prep took 3 to 4 hours. After burning I used colored pencil to high-light the color areas of the piece. Then using an acrylic clear, smooth satin finish grade, I coated the piece 3 separate times with a light sand between the first 2. This piece is an original by  the artist using the Harley Logo, and will not be duplicated for sale. This one piece is available now at Ebay.....so bid now before it's too late! 

If you like the piece it can be customized to your preference using different types of wood plaques, boxes or plates. This piece would make a lovely wall decoration and can be made into a candle holder or a coat hook could also be attached. A lovely coat rack of 4 to 6 plaques assembled on the wall, with the same logo, varying logos, or even  logos with other pictures completing a Harley theme can be commissioned. Each piece will be unique and made for each customer only to their specifications.