Wood Burning Calligraphy.

Wood Burning Calligraphy points are among the top 10 most common tips that a burner includes. It has some great use cases but that certainly doesn’t come without its weaknesses but we will get to that later.

In this article, I invite you to explore the depths of pyrography with me, as we delve into essential tools, safety precautions, techniques and some beginner wood burning designs. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned enthusiast, my goal is to provide guidance and inspiration to guide you into the mastery of fine writing on wood.

Together, let’s explore craftsmanship and creativity, guided by the simple beauty of wood and the quiet mastery of the burning pen.

Table of Contents

Safety

Safety glasses and mask.

Firstly let’s talk about the importance of safety and how you can better prepare yourself to ensure a happy but safe experience.


  1. Set up proper ventilation to avoid inhaling any harmful fumes
  2. Wear protective goggles and gloves to avoid any burns
  3. Never leave the heated tool unattended
  4. Keep your workspace free from clutter to protect from fire hazards
  5. Read manufacture instructions for proper and specific use


Following these steps will allow for an injury-free workspace and will let you unleash your creative side carefree.

Tools

Tools on wooden desk

Burn Tool


Before we talk about the best wood burning tips let’s talk about the tools you need for your wood burning art and calligraphy. You won’t need much to get started just your wood burning tool of choice, we recommend a Colwood wood burner as they work extremely well for users of all experiences.



Wood


After that you should pick your preferred scrap of wood to work on, Poplar is usually the best choice but please note you can use any kind of wood so whatever your creative side says, you should go for it.



Transfer Paper


Next, you can use transfer paper, this is not necessary as you can just use a pencil but I highly recommend it if you are a beginner as it will allow you to draw more complex art designs.



Tips


And last but not least, you will need a calligraphy tip, the most recommended for this is the chisel tip which can easily be found on Amazon and usually comes at a cheap price.

wood burning chisel tip.

Pros for using the chisel tip




Block Writing

This tip works well for block writing as it creates those edges nicely and can fill up the text with some nice shading.



Straight lines

The chisel tip excels at drawing straight lines, once you learn how to angle the tip you will be drawing straight lines with ease.



Cons for using the chisel tip




Circles and curved lettering

Like many, I struggle to draw curved lines and edges with this tip so if you want to go for that calligraphy style that is fine then you would be better suited to use a universal tip and use the tip upside down for the best detailing.



Dots

When attempting dots with this pen you will likely end up with a triangular-shaped-looking burn, you can make some cool art with this but you won’t be able to make dots.

Pyrography techniques

  • Begin by choosing the appropriate tip for your wood burning pen, you should pick one that complements the style and size of your desired lettering.
solid point wood burning tips
  • Maintain a steady hand and consistent pressure when you guide your pen across the surface, allowing the tip to gently glide and create strokes.
  • Practice your stroke size downwards and upwards to mimic the fluidity of traditional calligraphy writing.
  • Practice drawing straight lines from edge to edge on a block of wood
Wood With Pen Line.
  • Experiment by using different angles/movements to achieve variations in your line thickness and style. Then practice some curved lettering.
Wood burned brush strokes.
  • To get intricate details and flourishes, adjust the temperature of your wood burning pen to suit the wood type you are burning onto and to get your desired effects.
Adjusting heating dial.
  • Additionally, you should consider implementing shading techniques to add depth to your calligraphic designs. Steadily build up layers of shading to create contrast, and pay close attention to the light sources and shadow placement. With patience and by practicing these wood burning tips you can develop the skills needed to produce stunning pieces that can be captivating.


How to start your first calligraphy point project

Planning and Preparation 

Firstly you should get all your necessary tools ready as mentioned in the tools section above. Once you have these ready you should then go ahead and choose the design you wish to burn onto your wood.

Design Transfer

Next, you should sketch your design onto some transfer paper, if you don’t want to use transfer paper you can draw directly onto your piece of wood, this pencil drawing will help us to burn our designs more accurately allowing us to make minimal mistakes.

Transfer paper on wood.

Prepare your wood burning tool

After you have your wood ready you should then go ahead and get your burning tool ready by selecting the appropriate tip and selecting the desired temperature on your tool. Remember as a rule of thumb you should start at a lower temperature to create lighter burns then slowly increase this for darker burns.

Drawing the outline

The best way to begin your design is by burning the outline first, similar to how tattoo artists would create their tattoos, you burn the main lines of your art.


Drawing crab outline vs shading.

Shading

At this point, your outline should be done and now the real fun can begin. This is where I start shading and playing around with the temperature of the pen to get those interesting flourishes, embellishments, shades, and bizarre details.  


Final touches

Now that you are done with your burning you should go over it to check for any blemishes or details you may have missed. Once I have checked over my work I love to add some final touch-ups to make the art glow, a good way to do this is to sand over the face of the wood, I usually start with a lower grit of around 120 then work my way up somewhere around 600. By starting on a low grit you get rid of the roughness then by moving up to the higher grits you can get a smooth-to-touch feel on your art piece. Once this is done depending on the wood I’m working on I like to add a nice coat of varnish to get that shine. For more info on sandpaper grits click here.

Wood stain at different grits.

Conclusion

In the world of wood burning calligraphy, every stroke has a story of creativity. By following safety measures like proper ventilation and wearing protective gear, you can create a safe workspace for your artistic journeys to flourish. Geared with essential tools like your wood burner and trusty chisel tip, we embarked on a joyful exploration of expression and creativity. Using transfer paper, we can effortlessly translate our complex designs onto wood. From outlining to shading, each technique adds depth and character to our calligraphic creations. As we add the final touches and polish our pieces, we revel in the joy of bringing our visions to life. With practice, every artwork becomes a celebration of artistry. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it and if you need more information don’t hesitate to email me or you can search for more tutorials on YouTube, happy burning!

Lisa Cullen

Lisa Cullen

Hi, I'm Lisa Cullen, the Content and Marketing Manager of Timber Craft Hub. With 14 years in carpentry and a passion for wood burning art, I'm thrilled to share my expertise. Woodworking isn't just about crafting; it's about pouring heart and soul into each piece. Let's connect, learn, and grow together as a supportive community. From informative articles to step-by-step tutorials, I hope to inspire you on your woodworking journey.