Creative Woodworks & crafts 2005-04, страница 52

Always draw or trace the eyes before you bum. If l.hcy don't look right, it is a lot easier to correct a pcncilled-in eye than a burned one.

Next, with the "J" pen still on its side and held at a 45" angle, burn the bottom of the iris where it meets the lower eyelid. YOU MUST TURN 1HK EYE UPSIDE DOWN to do Ibis because you want to press down lightly as you slide the pen along the edge of the iris so that you form a step-down with the eyelid higher than the eyeball.

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VERY LOW HEAT - so that I'm actually getting texture instead of color. The medium brown fur is burned a little, darker of coursc, and only after I've covcrcd the cat with fur will I turn the heat up so that I 'm getting a BLACK line. That heat is used only when I am doing something that is black, such as the stripes on both sides of the facc, or the deep shadows at the side of the nose, mouth, and the eye. Some folks don't think they are woodburning unless they ate setting off smoke alarms and every line is about 1/8" deep, and pitch black. Trouble is, when every line you bum is dark and heavy, where do you go for acccnts? I think the contrast between the soft look of most of the fur and the hold darks of (he eyes gives him an attitude befitting a Bobcat.

The sccond thing I stress in both my books and all of my classcs is to BURN CURVED LINES!!! The reason fur looks soft is that there is not a single straight line on the cat. There's no need for a demo here, just look at the photograph. Each line that I bum represents a single hair, and every hair on the cat's head is curved al least a tiny bit. No matter what animal you are trying to do, if you Ixim stiff straight lines you're going to end up with a porcupine.

Colcwood offers a wide selection of tip styles, but I use the fixed "J" lip (tight round shape) to burn the fur, the eyes, and the grass. Although I have been known to finish a burning without ever touching another pen, this time I also used an "H" (pointed tip - heavier gauge wire) style pen to stipple the nose. Then after everything else was burned and painted, the ^-CH" was used again to bum the whiskers. Oh yeah, a "C" pen that writes just like a ballpoint pen can be used to sign your name.

Onto o demo I'm sure you'll enjoy -how to burn the eyes!

I prefer graphite paper for tracing rather than carbon paper liccause it docs not smudge as much and is a lot easier to erase. In fact, if you have never done this before I suggest that yon try it on a piccc of scrap first.

Begin with the pupils, which by the way should be looking in the same direction, and burn them a good rich black with a 'T' pen. 1 .ay it on its side so that you are shading with the flat side instead of the sharp edge. Slide the pen over the wood so that it does not catch on the grain. Let the round shape of the pen help you round the eye. Don't be afraid to turn your wood to get. the best angle for burning.

52 ■ Creative Wuudwute & Cratus Ap-il 200b