Connecticut artist Carol Wallace’s interest in painting and drawing barns began during her early years. She was born and raised in Bucks County, Pa., an area known for its idyllic rural landscape, rustic barns, stone houses, covered bridges, and quiet back roads. Her scenes of Americana are crafted out of a passion for preserving American history and culture. See more of her work at carolwallace.com.

Getting Started

Pre-sand the wood blanks. Start with a rougher-grit sandpaper, such as 120, and work your way up to 400- or 600-grit. Note: Be sure to wear a respirator and eye protection while sanding. Gently wipe the dust off the wood, or remove it with a can of compressed air.

Photocopy the patterns, trim them to the size of the wood, and then place in position over the surface of each round. Slip a small piece of graphite paper under the pattern (graphite side down), and tape the pattern and graphite paper to the wood round with some blue painter’s tape. Trace over the pattern guidelines with a red ballpoint pen to transfer the image onto the wood. (A red pen can be easier to see on a black-and-white pattern, so you don’t miss any areas.) As you trace, occasionally lift the pattern and paper to make sure the lines are transferring properly.

Remove the patterns and tape. Preheat your woodburning tool. If you’re using a solid-tip burner, use high or maximum heat. If you’re using a wire-tip burner, use a medium heat setting.

Burning

Using a woodburner with a fine writing nib, focus on the basic structure of each snowflake and burn the simple lines. Be sure to use a light, even pressure while “floating” the point across the surface of the wood. It helps to hold the burner at a slight angle for smoother lines. If you hold the burner perfectly vertical, the point is more prone to sinking into the wood instead of floating across the surface.

Add embellishments to each simple design, such as teardrop shapes on the outer edges and dots where points come together. Feel free to get creative!

Hold the burner at an angle.

Adding Paint

If you’d like to add watercolor paint to the coasters, it’s important to pre-treat them with clear gesso. Apply a small amount of clear gesso on each coaster, and then spread it around with a smooth paintbrush. Allow the gesso to dry for at least 24 hours.

Add paint. For this project, I wanted the woodburning to stand out, so I kept the paint on the outer edges of the rounds. Apply water across the surface of each coaster with a smooth paintbrush. While the coaster is still wet, use a small brush to “drop” blue paint along the outer edge and allow the paint to bleed toward the center. Feel free to pick up the coaster and tip it from side to side to help the paint to flow. Keep in mind that the paint will dry lighter than it appears when wet.

Adding Resin

Allow the painted coasters to dry for a few days. Then prop each coaster up on a paper cup, mix a small amount of resin according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and pour it over the top to protect the coasters. Use a wooden stick or gloved fingers to spread the resin on the outer edges for a smooth finish. Note: If using these coasters consistently with hot beverages, opt for a heat-resistant epoxy. Always follow the directions and safety precautions that come with your choice of resin. After the resin has cured, sand any drips from the bottom, and then apply glue-on felt pads to protect counters and other surfaces.

Tip the coaster to allow the paint to bleed toward the center.

TIPS

Trim Your Tree

Instead of coasters, attach a metal screw-eye into the top of each piece, and then tie on a ribbon to create festive ornaments.

No Pressure!

If you press too hard when burning lines, the point can dig into the wood, causing uneven lines or overburn. The burner can sink down in between softer areas of the grain and then rise back up again. This makes lines look narrow in one area but wider in another.

MATERIALS

• Unfinished birch rounds, 3-1/2″ (8.9cm)-dia.

• Graphite transfer paper

• Red pen

• Tape: masking or blue painter’s

• Sandpaper: assorted grits to 600

• Tack cloth or can of compressed air

• Clear gesso

• Watercolor paints of choice (optional)

• 2-part epoxy (optional)

• Paper cups

• Glue-on felt pads

• Screw eye (optional)

• Decorative ribbon (optional)

• Wooden sticks

TOOLS

• Woodburner with nib: writing

• Paintbrushes

• Scissors

• Sander: orbital (optional)

Minisa Robinson, of Rifle, Colo., stumbled across pyrography by accident in 2009 while exploring the art of woodcarving. Since then, she has taught herself to create highly detailed woodburnings, instructional DVDs, books, and instant downloads to teach others the craft as well. Minisa’s goal is to push the limits of pyrography, and she encourages others to view the art in a new light. For more of her work, visit minisapyrography.com or patreon.com/minisa. Her book, Burning Realistic Animals, is available at foxchapelpublishing.com.

Getting Started

Sketch the top and side pattern views on the block with a pencil, or photocopy the patterns and attach them with repositionable spray adhesive. Cut the top view on a scroll saw, and then turn the piece on its side and secure it in a vise. Cut the second view on a band saw. Note: The side pattern view is too thick to cut on a scroll saw, as scroll saws can typically handle wood no more than 2″ (5.1cm) thick.

You’ll notice that this pattern has an arch shape. Straight hair combs and forks are great, but the arch shape sits around the contours of your head instead of just pressing against them. This allows you to wear it all day without getting a headache.

Carving

Shape the comb. Round over all harsh edges on the blank, including between the teeth, using a rotary tool with a fluted cone-shaped carbide cutter. Widen the space between the teeth, removing a little wood at a time and maintaining a soft arc shape between the teeth. Note: When carving spacing between the teeth, remember to round the arc shapes instead of squaring then off.

Refine the comb’s shape. Use the rotary tool with a sanding disc to smooth and round each tooth completely, tapering the teeth to somewhat sharp points with blunted ends. Then smooth the top and sides of the comb. Do this on the front and back. Add ornamentation as desired; I recommend woodburning, painting, or relief carving. I included a bonus relief carving pattern of oak and gingko biloba leaves, available online.

Tip: It’s All About The Teeth

In order for the comb to slide easily through your hair, it helps to round the two outermost teeth so they face slightly inward. The remaining (inner) teeth can be straight.

Finishing

Finish the comb. As this will be used in hair, a natural finish is always better; I recommend raw linseed oil mixed with a drop of lavender essential oil (substitute your favorite scent here). Over time, each comb will pick up the natural body oils of its owner and take on a glow all its own. If you prefer a clear, glossy finish, I recommend using three to four coats of a spray-on clear enamel, buffing with a fine sanding sponge between applications.

Tip: Go To Gift

Hair combs make wonder-ful gifts for anyone with long hair. Do you ever see women using pens or pencils to hold their hair up? They need a handmade hair comb! I like to leave one for my server when I leave an eating establishment.

Materials

• Hardwood, such as Osage orange or walnut, 1 1/2″ (3.8cm) thick: approx. 3″ x 6″ (7.6cm x 15.2cm)

• Pencil

• Spray adhesive: repositionable (optional)

• Sandpaper: assorted grits

• Natural finish, such as raw linseed oil

• Essential oil, such as lavender: 1 drop (optional)

• Clear spray enamel (optional)

• Acrylic paints (optional)

Tools

• Band saw

• Scroll saw

• Rotary tool with bits: sanding disc, fluted cone-shaped carbide cutter

• Sanding sponge

• Vise

• Woodburner (optional)

Keoma McCaffrey lives in Northern California with her husband, Jeff, and three sons, and a passel of animals. She carves most of her work from salvaged local hardwoods. She is a moderator on the Woodcarving Illustrated message board, woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum.

Getting Started

Draw the front-view pattern onto the blank. Cut around the perimeter with a band saw. Then, remove the excess wood with a 3/8″ (10mm) #6 gouge. Trace the side-view pattern onto the blank and use the same gouge to remove the excess.

Carving and Finishing 

Refer to the patterns often as you carve the piece. Be careful not to cut off the top spool for the carving blank; you’ll need this for the ears. I use a detail knife and a small V-tool to define the eye and mouth areas and a 1/8″ (3mm) #11 veiner to create texture inside the ears and on the tail, cheeks, and ruff. Mark the whisker dots in using a woodburner with a writing nib. If you plan to use the writing and skew nibs to burn the fur texture in just a few places rather than all over the body, brush on a pre-stain conditioner, such as Minwax, before you paint to prevent blotchiness. Add a clear gloss acrylic finish to the eyes to make them shine.

Materials

• Basswood, 2 1/2″ (6.4cm) thick: 3 1/4″ x 3 3/4″ (8.3cm x 9.5cm)

• Pre-stain conditioner, such as Minwax

• Acrylic paint: black, burnt sienna, burnt umber, latte, white

• Tung oil: low gloss

• Finish: clear gloss acrylic

• Sandpaper (optional)

Tools

• #6 gouge: 3/8″ (10mm)

• #11 veiner: 1/8″ (3mm)

• V-tool: small

• Detail knife

• Woodburner, variable temperature, with nibs: skew, writing (optional)

• Paintbrushes: soft, round, detail, short-bristled

Desiree Hajny of Blue Hill, Neb., has been a full-time sculptor of wood since 1985. Prior to that, she was a high school art instructor for six years. She has authored seven books and contributed to eight others. Desiree has also been a contributing author to periodicals in the United States and Europe. She was the third recipient of Woodcarving Illustrated’s “Woodcarver of the Year” award. Find more of Desiree’s work at hajny.fineartworld.com.

• Basswood plaque, such as Walnut Hollow basswood country round: 8″ (20.3cm)-dia. (enlarge the pattern to match)

• Graphite transfer paper

• Pencil

• Watercolor paints, such as Winsor & Newton: burnt sienna, burnt umber, cadmium red light, cadmium yellow light, cerulean blue, Naples yellow, raw sienna, thalo blue, titanium white, ultramarine violet

• Clean paper towels

• Finish, such as clear satin lacquer

TOOLS

• Variable temperature woodburner with nibs: writing, shading

• Watercolor paintbrushes: assorted