Free lesson Click here to go to new page with printable pattern 1/   Before you burn on any thing, it is helpful to learn as much as you can about handling every point.   The highs and lows you can burn at, the different strokes and depths at which you can burn and the lightness or heaviness of touch you need to do more than just a brown drawing.   Whether it is on wood, leather, gourd, paper, tagua nut slices, canvas, or any other medium, you need to practice first.   It is easier to live with mistakes on a buddy board than it is on an actual project.   Even if you are working on a project, going back to the buddy board to practice different things helps a whole lot.   2/   The three points above are the basic ones I use:  A/ 1/16" ball point   B/  Round heeled Skew   C/  Bent Spear Point Shader    (these were misnamed in the article)   3/   Prepare your wood by finish sanding it with 400 grit and then with the 600 grit sandpaper pads (available from us or use plain sandpaper) to make the surface as smooth as a "babies bottom".   4/   With one long piece of cellophane tape, attach you pattern to your board.   5/   Place graphite paper, dark side down under the pattern.   6/   Use a red fine ink pen (so you can see where you have been) to trace your pattern carefully onto the wood.   7/   Using the bottom, side of the point of the Bent Spear Point Shader, softly out line raccoon.   Do not cut in - that is why we use the shader.   8/   Still using the Shader, color in the black little eyes, avoiding the highlight area and then etch out the highlight with the point of a single edge razor blade.   9/   Using the middle of the shader like a paint brush, slowly bring the darkness from under the wood and behind the raccoon to fill in the hollow area.  Also use it to put outline and shade the nose, leaving highlights with blended edges.   10/  Still using the shader, but more up on the side and point, slowly put in the heavy grooves in the wood. and around the fingers.   11/  With the very tip of your Round Heeled Skew, touch in around the edge of the eyes, leaving a light area around the edge.     12/  With long hot strokes, holding your skew at an angle to widen the stroke, pull in the long curves  to make the mask.   Remember to make them random and to avoid stopping at the end of them.  Blend the area a bit to keep it smooth.   13/  Still using the Skew, with a few strokes bring in the shadow lines around the edges for a base for the lighter hair.  Make these random also.   14/ Put in the eyebrows a bit dark, going first in one direction, turning the board and then going in the other.   15/  Start putting in the rest of the fur, stroking in the right directions and then putting in quick strokes in a "slightly off" way to give a furry look.   Leave plenty of air space for a soft looking fur.   16/  Blend from dark areas into the light ones.   17/ Finish the ears and re-etch the highlights.   This little fellow is a great way to get into Fur!   Happy Burning........God Bless........ Cheryl