Add life to a tree or window with these bright avian adornments
By Michele Parsons
I love to give inspirational gifts around the holidays, as days grow shorter and people start to pine after warmth and sunlight—and what better to deliver inspiration than a few friendly birds? These ornaments can be carved, burned, and finished quickly; they’re also fun and satisfying to make.
I used slices of wood with natural bark edges that you can find at most craft stores for a rustic feel. You could also cut circles from thin basswood or any other wood you prefer. For a different look, enlarge the pattern and make a wall hanging. Before diving in, learn how to keep your woodburner clean in our exclusive article.
Prepping and Carving
Size the pattern to fit your wood. Use graphite paper to transfer the bird-and-branches pattern to the blank. Make stop cuts around all of the lines, and then carve the background down around them with a micromotor with an assortment of small bits or a set of small hand gouges. Then sand around the birds and branches. Focus on making the background smooth for the lettering. Use graphite paper to transfer the lettering to the background. Burn the letters using a small writing nib and, if desired, outline them with a skew nib. Burn the details on the birds and branches. Erase any remaining graphite.
Painting and Finishing
I add color using slightly thinned acrylic paint. Avoid painting over the burned areas because the pigment in the paint covers the burned texture. Finish with a few coats of semi-gloss spray lacquer.
MATERIALS• Wood, such as basswood or birch ornament rounds • Graphite transfer paper • White rubber eraser • Acrylic paints: assorted •Finish, such as spray lacquer: semi-gloss |
TOOLS• Micromotor with small bits or small hand gouges • Woodburner with nibs: small writer, skew |
| About the Author |
| Michele Parsons lives in N.C. near the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she draws inspiration. She earned a fine arts degree from Western Carolina University and spent her professional life as a graphic designer, art director, and executive director in the creation of educational materials. Michele is a frequent contributor to Pyrography magazine and has taught pyrography for nearly 20 years. She is also a regular instructor at the International Woodcarving Congress, Southeastern Woodcarving School, and John C. Campbell Folk School. To see more of her work, visit parsonswoodartistry.com. |
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