[Lindy]

Has anyone here tried burning on canvas? I'm trying a piece right now and having, shall I say, challenges. I've discovered that the skew cuts right through so I'm using a writing nib and even then I'm finding it wants to cut through at times. I'm trying different temperatures and overall getting just a teensy bit frustrated.

So please, advice, suggestions, experiences. I've heard this can be done I just need to learn how.

Thanks in advance, you're all the best!

Linda

[Pyrographer]

I haven't done it and honestly don't know anyone who has but my first concern would be if the canvas has been treated with anything. Most are and you should not be burning on those. If it is raw canvas then I would say perhaps use a pen that is not sharp such as a shader, writing tip (not sharp), ball tip, etc. Any of the skews are definately ones to avoid. I'm sure you have a scrap piece to practice on and I know that people burning on paper have said that they use higher temps than on wood so you might want to just experiment with temperatures. If you have a ball tip that would be the easiest to experiment with because it would glide over the canvas until you figure out the appropriate temperature to use.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

Nedra

[Eddy Smiles]

I haven't tried but I have a good friend that burns on watercolor paper. I've never questioned his method but I would imagine that the secret is a very, very, low heat setting.

[Pyrographer]

Eddy, I haven't tried paper myself either but there are several burners on one of the other pyro sites that have done it and they claim they actually use a higher setting than on wood. I can't figure that one out but that's what they say. Perhaps one day when I get settled into my retirement and have some time I'm going to have to try it myself just to satisfy my curiosity.

Nedra

[Lindy]

Well that was interesting. I found that even at low temperatures this particular weight of canvas tended to burn through. So now I'm on the hunt for some heavier weight of canvas. In the meantime I have some 100 lb drawing paper - untreated vellum - to play with. I'll let you know how that one turns out.

[Irish]

Lindy, you may want to go with an unprimed 10 oz. cotton duck or even an unprimed linen. Cotton burns at a much low temp than paper. I believe papers are in the 450 degree range where cotton ... well, it's low enough that you can scorch it with an iron.

Try www.fashionfabricsclub.com for good cotton duck and really cheap prices. I should have said earlier that canvas is simply cotton duck fabric. Fine portrait quality duck has more threads per inch than something similar to denim and there are some very dense, thick cottons that you can get.

Susan

[Pyrographer]

Can't wait to see what Lindy turns out. I might have to play with some when time permits when we're finished packing, unpacking, etc.

Nedra

[Lindy]

Okay, latest update - 100 lb vellum paper is wonderful to burn on and yes you do have to use a much higher heat even than wood. I have a Razortip and for my outline when working on wood its between 4 & 4 1/2 - with the paper I'm between 5 1/2 to 6 and its not black! I've started the shading and I'm using 6 1/2 for heat, again no scorching just an easily controlled shading effect. Liking this!

Susan - thank you for the suggestion on the canvas, I'm looking into it now.

I'll try and post some pictures of the canvas (front & back) as well as the paper in the next day or two. I have a new seminar starting tomorrow night that I'm teaching so I may not have the time until this weekend.

Thanks everyone!

[Eddy Smiles]

Well! I'll be hanged! Just goes to show you how much I know. That's one for my notebook.

[Irish]

Eddy!

You can burn on any surface that is created from natural fibers, including paper, velum, gourds, wood, bamboo, cloth I do believe that you can even scorch burn tin and copper but I haven't tried it.

Natural fibers burn, it's just finding a surface thick enough that will not burn all the way through and finding the right heat setting.

What you don't burn is man-made compounds as any form of plastic or composite boards. There you are burning either glues or acrylics which are toxic.

And you don't burn anything of unknown origin ... If you are not sure if that board, gourd or paper has been treated with a chemical don't burn it! That can include heavily bleached papers, pressure treated lumber, wood with a finish already applied.

I think Nedra can add more here as she knows the toxic listings better than I.

Susan

FYI ... the term velum originally meant a paper like surface created from the inner membrane surface of a sheep's skin! During the skinning and tanning process that layer was removed, process and dried giving a strong but semi-translucent sheet that could be written on.