melting points
May 28, 2009
untitled (encaustic on wood, 2004)
growth (encaustic on wood, 2004)
Encaustic is somewhat of a cumbersome medium to work with, due to the quick rate in which melted wax returns to a solid at room temperature. It also tends to ruin any brush you attempt to paint with, so I would recommend old bristle brushes or a palette knife.
However, the rewards of dabbling in this ancient medium are worth a little effort.
HERE is a useful beginner’s guide to working in encaustic.
One secret to encaustic, in my opinion, is that its biggest limitation is also its asset. The rate in which wax hardens makes it easy to build thick layers quickly. And because wax can be scraped off or reheated to liquid, it makes for a medium that can be reworked over an extended time period.
The two pieces shown above are examples of these basic concepts.
The first one, “untitled,” was created by layering melted wax and then carving into the hardened form before layering further.
The second, “growth,” is an example of mixed media encaustic. Illustrated images are collaged into the piece and then painted over with a wax seal of varied thicknesses.
