1 Choose a log slice for your first stamp. I enjoy using a variety of log slice shapes and sizes because it adds interest to the artwork. Using a foam brush, cover the face of the log slice in a coat of paint. The more paint you apply, the more brilliant and bold the stamp mark will be.

2 Next, while the paint is still wet, carefully stamp the log slice on the art paper. Once you place the painted surface on the paper, press firmly on the log slice to ensure a solid stamp impression.

3 Repeat, stamping with the other log slices in various colors to create a dynamic pattern. I like the stamp marks to have varying coverage, so I covered some logs in thicker layers of paint and some in thinner layers before stamping.

4 Allow the paint to dry completely; then frame!

 1 To begin, search for fonts (or calligraphy) and words that fit the look you desire. I found a loose cursive font I liked and printed out some phrases and words.

2 Coax the paint to the tip of the pen by pushing the tip down on a piece of scrap paper several times. Once the paint has filled up the tip, practice writing some words on scrap paper until you are comfortable with the feel of the pen.

3 Carefully write the word or phrase on the planter with the paint pen. Be careful not to smear the word as you write.

4 Once the paint dries, your planters are complete and ready to liven up any living space or patio!

Tools & Materials

Wood Slices

The two best types of wood slices that I have found for painting and woodburning are basswood and birch, which are also the types most likely to be sold in your local craft store. They are softer woods, which makes woodburning far easier, and they’re also very light in color, so your artwork is clearly visible.

Woodburning Tools

There are two main types of woodburners: single-temperature and variable-temperature. Different systems may have additional features, but all of them are, in some part, electric, pen-like tools that are heated to create burns in wood with a variety of tips.

• Single-temperature woodburners are solitary pen systems with interchangeable, screw-in tips that heat to a preset level. These are usually the more affordable woodburners that you can purchase in most craft stores, and are great beginner systems.

• Variable temperature woodburners are more expensive, but the cost is worth it if you want to do a considerable amount of woodburning—especially more detailed work. They have quicker heating and cooling times, an adjustable temperature to fit the work you are doing, and a wider variety of tips to choose from.

Single-temperature woodburner (left) and variable-temperature woodburner (right)

Additional Tools

Additional tools for drawing and planning your artwork include:

• Sandpaper and sanding blocks (a foam core surrounded with sanding material) are great for smoothing your pieces and doing touch-up work on woodburnings. Use finer-grit sanding material, like 220 or 320, as coarser grits can leave visible scratches in your work.

Painting Tools

Acrylic paints are a great way to add opaque colors to wood slices. If you prefer a more muted color wash or want the woodgrain to show through, watercolor paints also work well.

Painting on Wood

I always start wood-slice paintings by making sure they are sanded smooth—the smoother they are, the easier to paint! If your wood slice has some porous areas or dark knots that you would rather not show through your final painting, add a layer or two of white, acrylic gesso paint before getting started. It’s a great base to build your artwork on—especially because certain woods absorb a lot of paint; a base layer really helps build more opaque colors.

Paintbrush types from top to bottom: round, flat, liner, filbert

Woodburning

There is a wide variety of woodburning tips available to fit your needs, and most can be used in multiple ways to achieve different effects. Regardless of which woodburner you choose, I recommend you at least have one tip for shading, one for writing, and another for thinner line work. Pen tips may differ by the type of woodburner you choose, but shown here are a few examples of frequently used tips.

Single-temperature woodburner tips from top to bottom: shading, universal, tapered point

Variable-temperature woodburner tips from top to bottom: ballpoint, round knife, spoon shader

Using the Woodburner

• Once you select and securely attach the tip you would like to use, turn on your woodburner and give it the recommended time to preheat. I like to test the heated tip on scrap wood first so I know how quickly it burns and what shape the tip will create.

• The darkness of the burn depends largely on how quickly you drag the tip across the wood. Moving slowly allows the burner to reheat while you move it, whereas moving quickly uses most of the heat at the start to create a darker burn that fades out as you move. If you let the tip sit in one spot too long it will leave a darker and deeper mark. If you notice your lines getting too light, your burner needs to reheat, so just lift the tip off the wood for a few moments. You can always go back and darken an area, but it’s difficult to remove a darker burn.

• Let the woodburner do the work—don’t apply too much pressure, or you will burn too deep into the wood or damage your pen tips.

Removing Scorch Marks

The hotter your woodburner is, the more likely it is to leave dark yellow scorch marks around the area you are working on. To lighten or remove these, use a bit of fine-grit sandpaper on the area, or carefully scrape the wood with a craft knife for more precise removal.

Taking Care of Your Woodburner

To keep your tips in good shape, periodically sand them with fine-grit sandpaper or a nail file—you can even use a craft knife to scrape off some of the carbon buildup.

 1 Use a photo of a landscape with a simply shaped object, such as a tree or mountain range, that takes up a good portion of the photo. Then, breaking the photo down into sections, sketch the landscape onto a wood slice with a pencil. Keep in mind that the closer something is to you, the larger and more detailed it appears.

2 Cover the largest object—in this case, the tree trunk—with painter’s tape. After everything is painted, you’ll peel this off to reveal the woodgrain. You may need to cut the tape to fit the shape. Be sure to press it down firmly.

3 Set up your paint palette with as many colors as you think you’ll need, and keep a glass of water and paper towel handy for cleaning your brush. Then start with a base layer of paint, covering the various sections of the painting with their most dominant color. You can also do some basic shading at this point to help build up the scene.

4 Once the base layer is dry, begin adding detail, starting with the area farthest away in the landscape—usually the sky. Objects become increasingly detailed the closer they are to the foreground. Remember to pay attention to the angle of the sun, noting which sides of objects are in shadow and which are brighter.

5 Once the paint is fully dry, carefully peel up the painter’s tape. You may want to score the edge of the tape with a blade before removing it to prevent paint from peeling up.

6 Touch up the edges left behind by the tape. You can blend in the blank area by adding extra little details that might be in front of the object, such as loose branches or flowers.

7 When the painting is finished, apply a coating of acrylic sealer over the wood slice. This will also help enhance the colors of both the wood and your painting. Once the sealer is dry, drill a hole into the top, making sure to drill through the wood and not the bark, which could break off. Finally, thread some twine or hemp cord through the hole and knot it so the piece is ready for hanging!

 1 On your wood slice, measure out seven spaces about 1/2-inch apart at the bottom, starting with the space at the center and working out to either side. Mark these spots with a pencil, along with the spot at the top center of your slice where you will string some cord for hanging. Then use a drill to make a hole in each of these marked spots. Be sure to drill into the wood slice and not the bark, which can break off.

2 Sketch a tree onto your wood slice in pencil. Consider what shape best fits the wood slice. Tree branches start large near the trunk and taper off near the ends, with smaller branches splitting off. Don’t worry about making the upper portion too detailed—you’ll be painting over a lot of it with foliage. Add some winding roots that reach out of the trunk and connect to the drilled holes.

3 Fill in the tree shape with brown paint. The trunk and the roots can be more detailed, perhaps with some shading. Imagine that one side of the tree is in the sun—and hence, lighter—and that the other side is in shadow and should be painted with darker shades. Blend them together in the middle.

4 On your palette, put some different colored paints that match your leaf colors—you’ll want at least a dark, medium, and light color. Dip a fluffy brush into your darkest color and then dab it on a paper towel to remove excess paint. Then dab the paintbrush repeatedly around the tree branches. Next, on top of the darkest paint, dab on some of your medium color. Be sure to leave some of the darker shade showing at the bottom and through some of your leaves. Lastly, use a bit of the light color as a highlight and dab it at the top of a few branches. Once dry, apply an acrylic sealer to the wood slice.

 1 Head outdoors and collect at least five different types of leaves. If you won’t be starting the project right away, press them between the pages of a book or under something flat and heavy to keep them from curling up. It’s a good idea to keep them pressed flat in between the steps as well so that the leaves look the same as you continue to work on your project.

2 Take your five wood slices and drill a hole near the top of each, making sure to drill inside the wood and not the bark. Then sketch the outline of a different leaf onto each wood slice in pencil. Notice not only the shapes of the leaves but their edges and veins. Are the edges toothy or smooth? Do the veins slope evenly upward from the centers or branch out from other veins?

3 Fill your paint palette with all the different colors you may use. Begin your paintings with a base layer on the leaves, using the most dominant colors to fill the leaves.

4 Start building up your paintings by using more specific colors and shading. When the underlying colors of the leaves are dry, use a small, thin paintbrush to add smaller details, such as leaf veins, spots, and toothier edges.

5 When the paintings are finished and completely dry, apply a coating of acrylic sealer to each wood slice to protect the painting. Cut a strand of hemp cord about 5 feet long. Using an overhand knot, make a loop at one end of the cord for hanging. Then string the first wood slice on and, about 4 inches from the end of the looped cord, tie a square knot above the wood slice and pull it tight. Repeat with the remaining wood slices, leaving about 4 inches between each knot. Finish by tying another loop at the other end of the cord and your garland is ready for display!

 1 With a pencil, mark five spots along the bottom of your wood slice for the hooks, beginning with the center and working out toward the sides. Each spot should be about 11/2 inches apart. Be sure to mark the wood, not the bark.

2 Next draw your design, selecting five of your favorite herbs. It helps to practice on paper first, studying the leaf patterns of your herbs and practicing how you’d like to write the text. Write the word “Herbs” in large letters at the top, and then the name of an herb centered above each of the five marked spots at the bottom. Lastly, sketch the herbs above their corresponding names.

3 Select a writing tip for your woodburner. I use a small, ballpoint tip, but some woodburners come with tapered points or chisel tips that also work well for lettering. Once your chosen tip is attached, heat up the woodburner and trace the herb names and the word “Herbs.”

4 Next woodburn your herb sketches, simply going over your pencil lines with the woodburner. I use a small knife tip to outline the herbs in thin, crisp lines, but a sharp-edged chisel tip would also work well. Tilt the woodburning pen and use the very end of the tip—the sharpest point—to do smaller, more detailed areas. When you’re done, erase any visible pencil marks.

5 With a soft brush, coat the edges and top of the wood slice with an even layer of sealer. Once dry, apply a layer on the back. After this first layer dries, lightly sand the front and back of the wood slice with fine-grit sandpaper (220-grit works well) to smooth. You don’t want to sand down to the raw wood—just enough to remove any prickly areas. Dust off the wood slice and apply two more coats of sealer to get a nice, protective covering.

6 When the sealer is dry, attach a sawtooth hanger to the back of the wood slice. To do this, first mark the middle of the wood slice and center the hanger. Then use a hammer to lightly and carefully nail the hanger in place so you don’t crack the wood. Then screw a cup hook in each of the marked spaces below the herb names.

7 Collect each of your herbs into a nice bundle and tightly wrap the ends in hemp cord, tying a square knot to secure. Leave about 8 inches of extra hemp cord on one end and tie an overhand knot with the extra cord, creating a loop at the end that you can use to hang the herbs to dry from their corresponding hooks.

You can use my constellation references for your own coasters—or you can research other constellations to use.

 1 Using the constellation of your choice, sketch a simple design of a stargazer on a hill onto each wood slice. Start with two sloping hills at the bottom—just two single lines with one disappearing behind the other. Next add a couple of pine trees on one hill and a silhouetted stick figure on the opposite hill. Draw the constellation centered in the sky above the hills; surround it with other stars, using dots, tiny circles, and diamonds.

2 For the first part of the woodburning, select the tapered point or ballpoint tip for your woodburner. Once it’s heated, trace the sketches of people, filling in each figure with a solid, dark burn so they look like silhouettes. Use this same technique to woodburn the trees, making the lines thick and dark so that they stand out. Finish by burning the dot- and circle-shaped stars.

3 Next switch to a tapered chisel or knife tip on your woodburner to do some of the finer linework. Start by burning the two hill lines, skipping over the parts already burned with the trees and people. Then burn the diamond-shaped stars of your constellation and the lines that connect them.

4 Switch to a shading tip for the last part of woodburning to add some color to the hills. Darken the bottom of each hill, as well as the area where the background hill disappears behind the foreground hill. To create a faded look, lightly drag your woodburning tip away from the darkest area. When you’re finished, use fine-grit sandpaper or a craft knife to lighten any scorch marks or areas that are too dark.

5 Once your design is complete, use a paintbrush to apply a polyurethane sealer in an even layer, letting each coat dry completely in between. The sealer will make the coasters easier to clean and keep condensation out of the wood. Repeat for a total of three or four coats, or until the wood has a smooth, protective layer. Repeat for the bottom of the wood slices.

6 After the polyurethane is completely dry, take the sheet of felt and trace around each wood slice with a marker. Cut out each circle about a quarter of an inch within this line so that the felt won’t be visible at the edges of the coasters.

7 Using craft or wood glue, attach the felt to the bottoms of your coasters. Make sure the glue reaches to the edges of the felt so they don’t peel off, and be sure to press it down firmly.

8 Once the glue is dry, your coasters are ready to use!

 1 Begin by sketching a ladybug and barn owl on two wooden oval plaques. Next burn in the outlines.

2 Note the black item below the burner. A tip cleaner is a little tool for removing the carbon build-up from your woodburning pen tips.

3 Burn a dark border on the top edges of the plaque using the triangle-shaped shader tip pen.

4 Use an extra-small skew for smaller lines and details.

5 Add a little shading with a triangle-shaped shader.

6 Paint FolkArt® antiquing medium around the edges, and then quickly wipe it off with a paper towel.

7 Add color with Inktense pencils.

8 Add water with a brush to the areas colored with Inktense pencils. The color will blend and become more vibrant.

9 Final touches: Use a white, oil-based, fine-tipped Sharpie® to add details to the ladybug and owl faces.

Two types of pens were used to burn these pieces: A triangle-shaped shader tip pen, turned on its side for lines and used flat for darkening solid areas (A), and an extra-small skew pen for thinner lines and details (B).

 1 Sand each slice on both sides, and drill a hole at the top with a Dremel® tool. Sketch designs onto the slice with a pencil.

2 Burn thicker lines with the side of the triangle-shaped shader tip pen, and use a small skew pen to burn smaller lines and details.

3 Use a triangle-shaped shader tip pen to burn a border on the bark around the top edge of the slice.

4 Use wood stain marker to color in the background.

For this pendant, use a blue Tim Holtz® Distress Stain with a paintbrush.

5 String finished pendants with waxed thread. You could also use a chain or a leather or hemp cord.