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Encaustic Painting

Encaustic painting is a type of painting which consists of a hot wax painting medium and pigments.  It is an ancient method of painting with the oldest surviving encaustic panels, dating back to 100-300 AD.  This method was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans.  The term “encaustic” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “to burn in”. 

With encaustic painting, I start with the wax-based paint in a molten state.  It’s interesting because with traditional painting mediums, an artist works from wet to dry (wet paint to dry paint).  And with encaustics, the artist works from a hot/ molten state to a cool/ solid state.

 

 

 

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Encaustic painting is such a versatile medium which is one of the qualities that I love about it.  In my own work, I will incorporate pastel or ink drawings on rice paper and embed these drawings in the encaustic painting as a type of collage effect.  I also will pigment shellac and apply that to the encaustic surface.  When I pass over the shellac with the torch, the heat reacts with the shellac and encaustic paint causing a really unique effect.  I also will add different types of nails and metal elements to some of my encaustic paintings which create different textures and interest.

 

 

 

I love the versatility of this medium and the ideas for different ways to work with encaustics is endless. Encaustic paintings have an almost luminous glow to them when they are well lit due to the nature of light reflecting back through all the layers of wax. This is also a very organic medium as it is made of beeswax, damar resin (which is a tree sap), and pigments.  There is not another medium that quite has the look of encaustics due to that glow and I love the ethereal quality I can achieve with them in my own work.  They can be as smooth as the artist would like or they can be created with a lot of texture and even be sculptural.

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I make my own batch of clear encaustic medium which is a recipe consisting of natural beeswax and damar resin.  I love the scents in my studio when I’m creating a batch of encaustic medium. I can apply this clear medium directly to my encaustic painting or add pigment to it and play with levels of transparency.  My painting set up consists of electric griddles (think pancake griddles) with containers of colored wax and clear medium melted and ready to be applied to my panel. I paint on a sturdy substrate for my encaustic paintings, typically either ¾” Birch Plywood or a cradled hardboard panel.  I dip a brush into the melted wax and brush it on my panels, building up many layers of wax (colored wax and clear and transparent layers).  Each layer of wax must be fused, or remelted to the previous layer, and for this step I typically use a propane torch.  I love watching the colors shift when I make passes over the surface with the torch.

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Since encaustics consist of beeswax which is naturally impervious to moisture, encaustics will not deteriorate, nor will they yellow or darken in time.  They are very archival and do not need to be protected by varnish or framed under glass.  Special care does need to be taken with them, but this is similar to how other fine art mediums should be cared for.  They should not be displayed or stored in direct sunlight, nor near a heat source.  The stable temperature range for encaustics is 40-120° F. Extreme temperatures should be avoided as extreme cold can cause the wax to become brittle and crack and very hot temperatures can pose a risk of the wax shifting and melting.  The melting point of encaustic paint is around 150°F.  I have heard it explained before to treat your encaustic painting as if it were living art and to keep it in the same conditions as you would a person or pet. This should be the consideration for any type of fine art.

Encaustic paintings can take up to 18 months to fully cure and harden.  During this time, they may begin to dull or haze.  Buffing lightly with a soft lint-free cotton cloth will restore its shine.

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