At a glance, it would appear that these incredibly realistic animal portraits were painted using rich hues of sepia paint, but in actuality they were etched into the wooden canvas with fire. This technique, known as pyrography, involves scorching a natural surface (maple wood in this case) using a heated tip or wire. It dates back to the dawn of recorded time- popular with Egyptian and African tribesman, but they were never able to achieve the intense realism that is evident in Julie Bender’s collection. The artist, who has held a Bachelor of Fine Arts since 1980, taught herself how to use pyrography in 2002, claiming, “As I ‘paint with heat,’ I feel a certain parallel between the wild and natural spirits that embody my subjects and the organic and distinctively unforgiving nature of my medium.”
Check out more of Julie Bender’s work in her online portfolio and follow her on Facebook. See the artist in action in the short video clip after the jump.
