There are around 900 pocket monsters currently available in the Pokemon franchise, but some of them are more recognizable than others. Charizard is one of the most iconic creatures in the series and has been a persistent fan favorite over the last two and a half decades. Now, one dedicated Pokemon fan has created a tribute to Charizard in the form of a giant wood burned card made using the sun and a magnifying glass.
Wood burning, also known as pyrography, is the art of using heat to gently etch designs on the surface of pieces of wood. Artistic video game fans have created wood burned maps in the past, but one artist has gone an extra step and made a massive Pokemon card.
Redditor russelscottart recently shared a one-minute-long video showcasing how they used wood burning to create a huge tribute to Charizard. The artist began with a giant slab of wood cut into the shape of a Pokemon card with the art and text for a Charizard card already sketched onto its surface. Then they set up a workstation in the sun, took out a magnifying glass, and began burning along the guidelines laid out for them. This isn't the first time a Pokemon fan has created art in the shape of a giant Charizard Pokemon card, but it may be one of the most intense.
In the video, the artist stands over the wooden Charizard card, which is propped up sideways on an easel. They carefully trace over each line and individual letter using the magnifying glass, leaving a trail of burned wood behind them. Different angles result in different patterns on the wood, which adds a feeling of texture to some areas. The artist even manages to burn the dark parts of Charizard's wings completely black for contrast.
Usually, wood burners use a specific tool much like a soldering iron to apply the heat. However, russelscottart reports in the comments that they had trouble with the tool when learning, so they decided to just use a magnifying glass. Apparently, using a magnifying glass is better for darker work—the process goes faster, and the result is both deeper and more uniform. The artist does have to wear welding goggles, though, as staring at the sun will do terrible things to one's eyes. This led one commenter to joke that the Charizard depicted has learned the powerful Grass-type move Solar Beam.