Wood burning flow point is one the favorite tips of most pyrographers. Out of all the tips that come with a solid-point type wood burner kit, this one is the smoothest. When burning, its blunt and round shape feels like gliding over wood; hence, it is named flow point. Although the flow point is not an allrounder, it does fulfill all the main pyrography techniques, which we’ll discuss below.
What is wood burning flow point?
A flow point in wood burning refers to a specific type of tip that’s added over a wood burner and has a shape of a thick ballpoint tip. Such a tip glides over the surface of wood due to its shape. Wood burning flow point is commonly used for the purpose of drawing lines, curves and creating smooth designs that involve continuous lines in a flow.
Features
Imagine drawing something on the whiteboard with a black marker. Same is the experience with the flow point; because of its round-headed tip, it looks similar to a thick whiteboard marker. Due to the blunt shape and wide from the end, all the heat it receives spreads evenly across the point, no matter your angle with the board.
You can make straight lines, curved lines, small, medium, and large dots, curves, circles, and curved letters with flow points. Only sometimes, you may feel like it lacks some cornering and detailing. It is due to the thick nib. But her younger sister, mini flow point, will do the work. Mini flow point has a long thin nib, just like a fine-point permanent marker. A combination of both gives impressive results.
Since the mini flow point has a long thin nib, it may bend or break when moved too fast or heated at high temperatures. You won’t find this problem with the flow point.As we know, flow point is one of the most popular and widely used points which does most of the basic work, both beginners and experienced pyrographers admire it and use it in most projects.
It is a tool with great value and worth the space in your arsenal. Unlike cone or tapered point, it doesn’t damage your board when applied with a bit of pressure. Lines, curves, dots, letters, and circles, are all covered by this little champion.
Use Cases
The reason most pyrographers like the flow point much is because, when working on a project, this single point can be used for many designs and there is no need to change the nib every time switching from one design to another.
Use case:
- Lines
- Dots
- Circles
- Curved letterings
- Block letterings
- Shading
1. Lines
Curved or straight lines are best when burnt with flow points. Unlike any other point, this gives you some of the nicest curves without any blurs or blobs. In fact, straight and curved lines could indicate this tip’s strength. Easiest of all, like gliding on the surface without any resistance. Curved and straight lines both are thick just like the thick marker I discussed earlier. You may need some other points if looking for fine lines.
2. Dots
Flow point gives you some of the nicest small, medium, and large dots, which makes it one of the most helpful tools for people doing stippling and pointillism. While stippling, you don’t need to change your nibs for different-sized dots, as it caters to the need. One thing to consider, large dots can leave a glow on the burn.
If you don’t like that, lower the heat in your wood burner and take more time to burn the large dots. As we know, the flow point has a flat head, it gives edges to the nib at an end. That means the natural way of holding a pen or maker (i.e., 45 degrees to the board) won’t work here. You’ll have to keep the wood burner pen horizontally to get the perfect round dot.
3. Circles
Circles, with any tool, require a steady hand and focus, unlike making curves. Same with the flow point, but a bit easier. The only thing you’ll feel missing when making circles is that the tip is far from the hand, and it feels less control in the hand. That is the reason it requires more concentration. Apart from that, you can make small circles, big circles, or whatever size circles your heart sings.
4. Curved letterings
Flow point could become your go-to point for curved lettering after a bit of practice. Cursive writing with this point may not give crisp edges like a mini flow point, but those curved letters do look smooth.
5. Block Lettering
For block lettering, the flow point may not be the best, but you can’t say it is the worst. It is okayish, and it will work for you if you don’t care about sharp edges and can work with little rounded edges in block letters.
6. Shading
Shading is hard with flow point. You can try horizontal shading for smaller spaces, but I recommend you use a different tip. A flat surface helps distribute the heat evenly and fast in the whole tip, which means the tip doesn’t cool off quickly. It remains heated, which makes it hard for shading. If tried, it’ll give you a thick line instead.
What do I like about it?
There are many things to like about the flow point. It is one of the points with the wood burner kit that can be used in almost all the main pyrography techniques. It is not pointed, giving you speed, as you don’t need to worry about breaking it. It is the best starter point for a solid-point type wood burner for thick lines and curves.
What I don’t like about it?
A thick nib doesn’t allow you to make fine corners or small cursive or detailing. You will have to switch to another point, probably a mini flow point. For shading purposes, this point won’t cut. I have already given you the reason above. For circles, it is good but feels less control in hand. A flat surface gives it edges, which means you can’t rest your hand on the board while making dots, and curves.
I hope this article helped you understand what is a flow point tip and how to use. I have more guides lined up like this below, do check them out.
Summary
This whiteboard maker-shaped wood burner tip is almost allrounder. If you’re just beginning in pyrography or wood burning. This point will do the most work, and you may not need to switch too frequently. It can do straight lines, curves, dots, circles, curved letters, and to some extent, block letters too. The only thing you’ll find hard with this point is shading and small cursive, which I think is okay. Already this point provides so much value.