Encaustic Painting Blog

Waxing On:  Encaustic Exploration Encaustic, by its nature, pulls us–as artists, into new territory. This is one of the aspects of it that I love. There is a sense that the medium is always at least one step ahead of us, gesturing playfully to “Check this out!” or “What would happen if…?” At the beginning of my exploration with encaustic, I was not surprised by this, as with any new medium, the possibilities feel endless. Now, ten years later, I marvel that I’m still being pulled into trying new things. Now I am just as (if not ...

My Encaustic painting, Station to Station, 18" x 24", is an example of the effect achieved by combining pastels (not oil!), used before the Encaustic medium is applied. This mixed media piece shows yet another reason to love Encaustic! Using Soft Pastels (not oil) before Encaustic medium is applied: First, apply Encaustic gesso (R&F makes an excellent one) on your substrate, once it is dry, you can draw with pastel (the soft, chalky pastels - NOT oil pastels). Then you can paint with Encaustic medium and add more Encaustic colours! In addition to using soft pastels, you ...

I've taken five encaustic workshops with Andrea Bird and, in each class, there is always someone who hasn't learned this technique. Everyone has the same wonderful reaction as the paper comes away from the wax and the ink is left behind. Tips for successful encaustic photo transfer: use images with a high level of contrastensure the images you're using are use pigment inks - from a photocopy machine, a laser printer or a magazine. Inkjet printers using dye inks won't give you good resultsfor a complete transfer make sure the wax surface is smooth - a transfer ...

The Artist Project Toronto 2011 Two hundred artists fill the Queen Elizabeth Building at Exhibition Place this weekend (March 3-6 2011) for Toronto's annual event, The Artist Project. Now in its fourth year, the Artist Project features a wide range of mediums, including installations and video art, as well as art chats and docent-led tours. I first heard about The Artist Project last year from artist Andrea Bird. Andrea was displaying encaustic art at a booth she was sharing with other artists from the Propeller Gallery in Toronto. So much art under one roof! Definitely, an event ...

Colored Gesso for Encaustic Painting So you think you know and love Holy Grail, the first gesso made for encaustic painting? Well look again - there are over a dozen colors now and artists are having a field day using them straight, tinting them with the white, and mixing them with each other. Colors were introduced in a 6 ounce jar but are now available in 16 ounces at a lower per-ounce cost. If you want a specific color, email Hylla Evans and it can be made for you usually within a day. How to use Encaustic ...

The Origins of Encaustic Painting - An Ancient Medium The word encaustic comes from the Greek enkaustikos which means “to burn in” referring to the process of fusing with heat. The process of burning-in is necessary to be classified as encaustic. Pausias, a Greek painter of the first half of the 4th century, is credited with inventing the encaustic painting method [source]. Painted Greek Ships The ancient Greeks used wax and resin to waterproof and decorate their ships. “Homer, writing in 800 B.C., makes note of painted warships sailing into Troy” (The Art of Encaustic Painting. Joanne ...

Help for Beginners who want to learn how to do Encaustic Painting If you want to learn how to do Encaustic Painting you're in the right place! Welcome. All Things Encaustic is a collaborative blog for artists working with encaustic. If you're just beginning to paint with Encaustic medium start here. If your question isn't covered here, review our blog posts or add a comment at the bottom of the post and we will be happy to respond. Click on a question below to expand and view the answer. If your question about how to do Encaustic ...