Encaustic is a waxed-based medium, that consists of beeswax and damar resin, a natural tree sap. The encaustic painting process involves heat at every stage of the process to apply and fuse the medium. The name Encaustic comes from the greek enkaustikos which means to burn-in.
Here you'll learn about encaustic painting techniques & tools. Whether you're a beginner learning to paint with encaustic or an experienced artist, I invite you to add your comments to share your knowledge and inspiration about art and All Things Encaustic.
This artist conversation features encaustic painter, embroiderer, and mixed-media artist, Ava Roth. I’m happy to chat with Ava about her work and introduce her to all of you. I think it is safe to say that all encaustic painters have a deep respect for bees. I’m sure that you’ll be as excited as I was to learn about Ava Roth’s …
Bee Colony Collaboration | Artist Conversation with Ava Roth Read Blog Post »
The information in this post comes from Nicholas Wilton’s Art2Life and Creative Visionary Programs and is published with permission. A significant shift in art-making for me over the last few years is that I now work on a group of paintings, instead of just one at a time. This process—which I picked up from the Creative Visionary Program with Nicholas …
Make Two—At least | Work on Multiple Paintings at a Time Read Blog Post »
I started 2020 on a high. I was convinced that this was the year I was going to have a regular art practice and that I was going to make art that was better than anything I had done before — and then COVID came along and I lost all my momentum. I’m sure that I’m not alone in this. …
When it’s Hard to Make Art | Finding Momentum Read Blog Post »
When Encaustic is painted on Plexiglass, the beauty of translucent wax and the transparency of plexiglass combine to create luminous works. When I first heard about painting on plexiglass with encaustic I was sceptical. We always say that encaustic needs an absorbent surface to adhere properly and Plexiglass is not absorbent. But there are many examples of artists successfully painting …
Yes, You Can Paint with Encaustic on Plexiglass Read Blog Post »
Shou Sugi Ban and Encaustic Painting are a perfect match, they are both are born out of fire. Shou Sugi Ban, also known as Yakisugi, is a traditional Japanese art of preserving and finishing wood using fire. As Encaustic Artists we create works of art by using our torches to fuse Beeswax and Damar to a wooden panel. Why not go the …
How to Create a Shou Sugi Ban Finish for Panel Edges Read Blog Post »
I’ve always loved history. It gives you a sense of where you come from and helps to guide you where you want to go. My first career was as an archivist for a municipal government. I loved looking through historical documents and photos. My job included retrieving and providing access to the original documents for research, delivering school programs, accessioning …
Rusting Paper for Collage Adding collage to your encaustic work can lead to really interesting results. Some of the best collage papers are the ones you make yourself. Making rust paper is a bit smelly, but absolutely worth it! Steps-by-Step instructions for Rust dying 1. Gather your supplies A Large plastic tray or similar Vinegar in a spray bottle (can …
Encaustic Gesso is typically used to prime your substrate so that you are beginning with a white ground. But, encaustic gesso doesn’t have to be white. In this post, you’ll discover two ways to tint encaustic gesso. Underpainting with Encaustic Gesso In 2011, Hylla Evans introduced us to Using Coloured Gesso for Encaustic Underpainting. Underpainting allows you to map out …