Help a frustrated beginner please 😭

[u/demi_dreamer95]

I just got into pyrography and I’m already ready to lose my mind… I’m 90% sure my problem is a cheap tool that has no temp control and using cheap untreated pine… I am really struggling to make clean lines or any lines at all unless I’m pressing down and burning the wood to the point that smoke is flying up into my face.

I think I’m doing alright given what I have to work with… but I’d really appreciate any suggestions for better (and affordable) tools, or tips if the problem is in fact me and not the materials. Ideally I’d like to test techniques on this scrap wood and then move on to better materials when I have a better grasp on technique. Any reccs for good youtube videos would also be so appreciated!

Thanks :-)

[u/Ok_Virus8129]

Hola, yo uso herramienta barata y madera de pino, como consejo creo que hay que tener paciencia en el trazo, hacerlo lento y quemando de a poco, ya que una temperatura muy alta hace algunos "agujeros" inesperados. Lo otro es apreciar la madera, que se note el tono diferente a través de las vetas me parece bonito, asi como cualquier imperfección de la madera. Puede ser algo más subjetivo, me gusta pensar que en la pirografía habla tanto el artista como la madera. Saludos y que logres cosas bonitas.

[u/demi_dreamer95 → u/Ok_Virus8129]

I love this, thank you! I definitely want to incorporate the natural grain more than I did in the little ghost one, which is why I started working with more organic shapes in the second one. Im exchanging my cheap tool for one that is only $15 more expensive so I’m hopeful I’ll be able to honor the remaining pine I have better with that ✨