High Voltage Pyrography

I have coined the term High Voltage Pyrography to describe my work. Another term for this pattern is Lichtenberg figures. Named after the German physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, they are natural patterns that form from electrical discharges of high voltage. Lichtenberg figures are formed by the breakdown of an insulating material such as wood or glass, which forms a carbon trail; carbon is a conductor rather than an insulator, so it acts like wire allowing current to break down further material. The hardness of the wood and grain pattern define the patterns which form. For example, poplar generally produces broad detailed patterns, while purpleheart generally produces more narrow and defined patterns.

Please explore the pieces below; if you are interested in any, contact me.

Commissions and custom work inquiries are also welcome.

Woods that I work with include Ash, Bloodwook, Bubinga, Cherry, Leopardwood, Maple, Oak, Padauk, Poplar, Purpleheart, and Wenge.

Long Exposure Photography By Kyle Hounsell. http://www.system-failure.net/

High Voltage Pyrography Demonstration

This video shows how electric discharge patterns are created in High Voltage Pyrography.

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Lichtenberg Figure on Padauk

01:35

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Lichtenberg Figure

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Bubinga	Bonsai Style on Cherry Sold.	Maple Coffee Table
Purpleheart	Curupay Sold.	Two-sided pattern on Poplar Sold.
Roman Style Vase in Ash Sold.	Figured Birch Sold.	Figured Ambrosia Maple Sold.
Glow in the Dark on Poplar	Glow in the Dark on Poplar Sold.	Purpleheart Cup Sold.
Padauk with Gold Leaf Inlay	1911 Grips on Walnut Sold.	1911 Grips on Cherry Sold.
Purpleahrt with Gold Leaf Inlay Sold.	Padauk with Gold Leaf Inlay	Curupay with Copper Leaf Inlay Sold.
Live Edge Padauk with Gold Leaf Leaf	Ambrosia Maple Disc Slab	Small Maple Burl Sold.
Big Leaf Maple Burl Sold.	Sycamore Slab	Live Edge Cherry Dyed Empire Red Sold.
Live Edge Maple	Cherry	Live Edge Cherry Slab
Black Guitar with Silver Inlay Guitar body burned with high voltage pyrography, then painted black. Pattern inlaid with silver leaf.	Cherry Bonsai	Bubinga Sold.
$Leopardwood fractals$ Leopardwood fractals Sold.	Live Edge Maple Slab Sold.	Padauk
Wenge with Gold Leaf Sold.	Maple Disc	Bloodwood Sold.
Live Edge Big Leaf Maple Sold.	Leopardwood Bonsai Sold.	Walnut Slice Sold.
Bloodwood End Table Top Sold.	Purpleheart	Leopardwood Bonsai Pattern Sold.
Ambrosia Maple Glow in the Dark Sold.	Ambrosia Maple Glow in the Dark Sold.	Ruger 10/22 Stock
Poplar Glow in the Dark Sold.	Poplar Glow in the Dark Sold.	Poplar Glow in the Dark Frame Sold.
Poplar Glow in the Dark	Poplar Glow in the Dark	Colt 1911 Grips in Walnut Sold.
Shotgun Pattern Sold.	Shotgun Pattern Sold.	Shotgun Pattern Sold.
Wenge with Silver Inlay 26x9	Ambrosia Maple Glow in the Dark 48x16	Maple Tree Pattern 49x15 Sold.
Ambrosia Maple Glow in the Dark 48x16	Twin Tendrils on Poplar 30x12 Sold.	Hickory Slice 12" Sold.
Walnut Bonsai 24x9	Bubinga Mirror Image Wings 26x20	Purpleheart with Silver Inlay 12x8 Sold.
Purpleheart with Gold Leaf Inlay 26x9 Sold.	Lightenberg Figures Cast in Pewter	Bubinga Mirror Image Pattern
Bloodwood Heart	Oak Heart	Purpleheart Heart
Bloodwood Heart	Padauk Heart	Beech Slice
Padauk Tree Sold.	Padauk Heart with Gold Leaf Inlay Sold.	Padauk with Gold Leaf Inlay 26x10 Sold.
Poplar Glow in the Dark 14x11	Maple Mirror Image Pattern	Walnut with Silver Inlay 26x20 Sold.
Oak 10x6	Purple Mountain on Poplar 10 x 8 Sold.	Oak 24x9
Bubinga 12x9 Sold.	Bonsai Pattern on Leopardwood 9x5 Sold.	Padauk 12 x 8
Willow on Ash 16x40	Padauk Sold	Poplar 9x15
Heat Trails on Purpleheart 9x15 Sold.	Padauk 9x24 Sold.	Poplar 9x24 Sold.
Purpleheart Twin Branches 9x24 Sold.	Poplar Glow in the Dark 14x11 Sold.	Poplar Glow in the Dark
Purpleheart Glow in the Dark	Against the Grain Padauk 8.5x13 Sold.	Oak Tendrils Sold.
Long Exposure Lichtenberg Figure This is a Long Exposure photo of the process of burning in the lichtenburg figures into wood using a very dark filter. Photography by Kyle Hounsell and Victoria Gunning	Long Exposure Lichtenberg Figure This is a Long Exposure photo of the process of burning in the lichtenburg figures into wood using a very dark filter. Photography by Kyle Hounsell and Victoria Gunning http://www.system-failure.net/lichtenburg-ss	Purpleheart 9x24 Sold.
Poplar Mirror Pattern Sold.	Leopardwood Bonsai 9x24 Sold.	Bubinga 12x10 Sold.
Padauk 24x9	Padauk Slab 16x32