Painting With Fire: Artist Creates Masterpieces Using Smoke

By Amanda Stringfellow @amanda_l_s

PAINTING with FIRE, a smoke artist uses a candle to create stunning sooty images

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Steven Spazuk uses a feather to add detail to a smoke art picture of a bird

This flock of birds, named Sentinelle, is made from soot on paper, mounted on wooden panels

A fraction of a second: This smoke art piece is created from soot, collage and gold leaf on paper

Art from fire: Steven Spazuk shows an audience his technique

Bird man: Steven used soot and collage to create this stunning image

A bird appears to be escaping from a hob in this smokey image

Steve created this incredibly detailed image of his father Jerry Spazuk

A bird appears to be dead in this image titled 'The Zapper'

A bird pulls a pin from a grenade in this striking piece of art

Steven claims the technique came to him in a dream - but was created by cavemen

Steven says the process is only as dangerous as having a candlelit dinner

A candle is held to the paper to create this smokey pattern

Steven Spazuk uses candle and torch flames to blacken a canvas and create detailed sketches out of soot.

The dark images of birds, people and plants are created from swirls of black and grey soot.

Steven created this incredibly detailed image of his father Jerry Spazuk

The Canadian holds a flame close to a blank canvas – and lets the fire blacken patterns on to the surface.

He then adds in extra details using a paintbrush to create intricate portraits.

Steven believes the method – known as fumage – was created by cavemen and has since been used by Jiri Dokoupil and Salvador Dali

Steven said: “I use the soot from fire to create my work, actually I use the soot created by the candle or the torch.

A bird appears to be escaping from a hob in this smokey design

“The soot lays on the surface of the thick paper. It is very fragile at that point in the process - so fragile that an insect could walk on the surface and it would leave their trace.

“I can then scratch the surface by just touching it with various type of tools. I like using real feathers to draw feathers when I am working on a bird.

“Once the drawing is done and I consider it finished, I spray varnish to preserve it.

“I use a thick acid-free paper and a special very fine spray varnish, also acid free.”

Trail Blazer! The artist says the process is only as dangerous as having a candlelit dinner

Steven has been working with fire since 2001 when the technique came to him in a dream - he says the process is only as dangerous as having a candlelit dinner.

The artist added: “The path the soot takes is as random as the path a fish takes in the water or a bird in the air.