I haven't done many encaustic paintings and haven't tried one for a long time. I love painting waves and felt like using encaustics for this one. It was challenging to try to give a sense of movement and get the wax to move in the right direction. I used a heat gun to fuse each layer which doesn't give a great deal of control because it heats a much larger area than is sometimes needed. I had fun with this and would really like to give more time to this medium and build my skills. I love the look of encaustics and I certainly can't paint too tightly with this medium. I think I will get a torch so that I can have more control for fusing but that open flame freaks me out. I do work outside and have an extinguisher handy but I'm such a klutz and if anyone can cause a problem with an open flame, it would be me.
I think my favorite part of completing an encaustic painting is polishing it. I love the gleam and the look of richness when it is polished. It looks like a glazed tile. The only bad thing is that it tends to lose that sheen and needs to be re-polished periodically. It's no big deal though. All it takes is a soft cloth or the palm of your hand (with no rings on).
I'm really intrigued by the encaustic work that I've seen too! The process sounds fun and very expressive, but I think I share your apprehension about the heat elements! It's a gorgeous, GORGEOUS painting!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Katherine. Maybe I should start with one of those really small torches that are used for creme brûlée. I wonder if that would work. It would certainly be less intimidating.
DeleteBeautful, Nancy! The water looks really, really liquid.
ReplyDeleteThank you Deborah.
Deletelove the movement I see in the waves....excellent painting!...
ReplyDeleteThank you Hilda. One of the things I love about encaustic paintings is the sense of movement you get with the wax.
DeleteIt looks beautiful, Nancy!! I love the rich color you have in here. Many encaustic pieces seem to lack the vibrancy of color you have managed. Do they make some sort of metal funnel tips for heat gun that would concentrate the area of heat? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry. I'm not sure about a nozzle. I think it's worth checking out.
Deletebeautiful
ReplyDeleteThank you Nanda.
DeleteHere is another method and a winner. Love the variety of blues and swirls of the water. Know what you mean about an open flame, for some of us it is another challenge just to come out in tact, but if you get results like this go for it. Do you frame with glass, have to use a mat or spacers. If pic gets warm does wax soften or once dry it is hard finish. Also is this real liquid when it goes on, like out of a jar. As you can tell know nothing about it but sure like the look.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nelvia. Encaustics are framed without glass so that you can see the beauty of the wax surface. It is one medium that is touchable. It has such a wonderful tactile quality and I don't think touching it is harmful. In fact, I think each time it is touched, it is polished just a little bit. That is just my own opinion. Someone that really knows what they are doing might completely disagree with me.
ReplyDeleteThe wax is melted on an electric pancake griddle. It is liquid when you put your brush in it but only about 2 or 3 brushstrokes can be made before the wax hardens.
The wax is melted between 175-200F so under normal conditions, it shouldn't get soft enough to be damaged once it is finished. I wouldn't leave it in a hot car though, especially in a hot climate.