Pyrography - How I Create My Pieces

I have seen some really excellent pyrography artworks created using a chemical pen and a hairdryer. However, when I create my pyrography pieces I always use a heated pyrography tool - and here's why.

Take a look at Woodland Pause, my cute squirrel here on the left. Can you see the detail in his fur and the bark of the tree? I get that detail making very deliberate, small marks with my pyrography tool. By varying the temperature of the tool, and the way I make the marks, I can achieve different shades and textures. This technique gives me a very tactile piece. Those details you can see, can be felt when you run your hand across the wood, it's almost like you're stroking the fur.

I have complete control of where the marks are and exactly how dark or light they are. There's no danger of overheating a part with a hairdryer or heat gun, which could result in the wrong areas becoming too dark. I generally use the smallest nib, so my marks are never too thick, where I need a larger area burning I use multiple marks to get that lovely tactile feel.

I'm just not convinced I could get that same effect with a chemical pen and a hairdryer. I'll save the hairdryer for drying out watercolour washes I think...