What is Pyrography?
In this post, we will answer these questions. What is pyrography? and what is the history of pyrography? Pyrography or Pyrogravure is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks due to controlled application of a hot object such as poker (a fire iron or a wire). It is also known as pokerwork or wood burning. This term means “writing with fire,” which is derived from two Greek words of pur (fire) and graphics (writing). The history of pyrography probably dates back to the fire discovery era. Pyrography art or wood-burning, as the name indicates, represents burning wood using a hot metal wire and creating new shapes, textures, and lines. The method is also used for leather burning.
The pyrography art enjoys a simple learning curve, and it is relatively cost-effective compared to the other arts. Therefore many art lovers are attracted to it. Some notable benefits of pyrography (wood burning) include cost-effectiveness and the high availability of its tools. Only by using a simple soldering iron, a piece of wood, sandpaper, and a pattern, an incredible work of art could be created. Some disadvantages of this art include lack of sufficient knowledge of people about it. So that they could not distinguish it from painting.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Table of contents
History of Pyrography (wood burning)
Unfortunately, The ancient art of pyrography (wood-burning) is an unknown art regarding its applications, techniques, history, and proper education, and its date origin is ambiguous. The art of modern pyrography does not have a long history because it is based on soldering iron, and it seems that its date is not more than 20 years. Probably the traditional history form of pyrography, that is by using a hot wire tool, is more than 20 years and has been used to decorate wooden artifacts all around the world. It seems that it was used in Peru 3000 years ago. It has been used to decorate artifacts like musical instruments and kitchen appliances in Europe, Asia, Australia, and America. Also, in Europe, pyrography has emerged in Renascence and medieval eras.
History of Pyrography (wood burning) in Iran
The art of leather burning dates back to the Safavid dynasty. In this era, art was applied on the cover of the Quran and valuable handwritten books. Between the extinction of the Safavid dynasty to Qajar era, this art was forgotten. Of course, in a similar form, the negative and positive brass molds were used to create leather covers, that only heat was used to create patterns by deforming leather using embossed and dented tools. The creators of traditional instruments used the method to decorate them and imprint the master builder on them using hot metal stamps.
Today, pyrography (wood burning) has turned into an art and a custom and includes using a hot tip or wire to burn a precise pattern on natural materials like leather or wood in a controlled manner. Burning could be achieved by the special pyrography tools of used tip type, temperature, or the iron application method. A tool with a solid point (like a soldering iron) or a hot wire tool could be used for that.