All Things Encaustic Blog

What is Encaustic Painting?

Encaustic uses molten wax, heat and pigment to create artwork. Different waxes are used to make encaustic medium but, most often, beeswax is combined with a hardening agent such as damar resin, a natural tree sap.

The word encaustic comes from the Greek enkaustikos which means “to burn in” referring to the process of fusing with heat. The artist applies molten encaustic paints to a surface and then uses heat to fuse the layers of wax together. This can be done with a blow torch, an iron, a heat gun, or other tools.

Encaustic allows for a variety of effects, including layering, texture, and mixed media. Artists can carve into the wax, create texture with various tools, and even embed objects or collage materials within the layers. The wax can be translucent or opaque, depending on the desired effect. One of the advantages of encaustic is its durability and resistance to moisture.