This Summer, several students have taken up Encaustic Painting on their own.  Our version of the technique - due to studio safety concerns -- uses beeswax only and we are applying these to small wood panels with embedded collage ephemera and painted backgrounds.  We are not using medium that mixes in damar crystals or pigment due to our limited ventilation, but some remarkable effects are being obtained just using beeswax and experimenting with surfaces.  We are planning a field trip in the fall to a real encaustic studio to witness the process first hand.  I will keep you posted on our progress!

 

But for you die hards, here's some further information on Encaustic Painting. 

The nature of encaustic to both preserve and add color for decoration led to its use on many surfaces from the 5th to the 15th Century.  Encaustics can be found on early stone work of both architecture and statuary. Decorative encaustic painting on terra cotta and other hard surfaces on interiors were also a popular surfaces, which preceded mosaics. In the 18th century, encaustic painting was re-examined (Renaissance) in order to rediscover the techniques of the ancient painters. It was explored in the 19th century to solve the dampness problems of mural painters in cold and damp climates. 



TOOLS AND MATERIALS

The tools and materials for encaustic painting include equipment for melting the wax,  such as a hot plate, mixing pots, or an electric skillet.  Brushes, metal knives and scrapers are used for applying and manipulating the wax.  Powdered or pigment infused wax crayons are used to  color the wax and the resulting colors are regularly painted onto rigid surfaces. Some students like to seal their oil or acrylic paintings with a soft layer of wax to give it the characteristic sheen, and small items can also be collaged into the wax for a mixed media effect.  The heat softened surface can also be carved.  Beeswax is the basic wax ingredient but it melts at a very low temperature (120 degrees F). Damar resin, which must be melted and strained, can be added to raise the melting temperature and add a slight sheen. Carnuaba wax, a vegetable wax, is also frequently used to raise the melting temperature. Pigment can be added as a powder, or purchased in commercial wax sticks.

Once a layer is applied and cooled completely, a new layer may be added.  Each layer must be "burnished" - that is reheated and smothed with a special electrified iron, a travel flat iron, or a heated spatula to smooth and "set" each layer before proceeding.  NEVER USE ACETYLINE TORCHES TO "SET" WAX!!!!