One of the most captivating things about encaustic is the way that the thin layers of beeswax lend an atmospheric quality to the paintings. While this layering is one of the main things that encaustic artists enjoy and exploit with the medium, it can also be tricky to manage- the layered structure of the paintings can be their downfall if not done correctly, leading to chipping, peeling, or separation of the layers. This can mean disaster for the longevity of the artwork. But by following some basic working guidelines, these problems can be avoided.
The first thing to consider is the type of wax you use. Traditionally, encaustic painting employs clarified beeswax. You’ll want to make sure that your beeswax is mechanically clarified, and not simply bleached. If your was is bleached to become white, it means that the impurities in the wax have not been removed, and may revert to their original colors, or become cloudy in the future. Most encaustic artists use tempered beeswax- wax that has been combined with a small amount of a harder substance that gives the wax a harder surface when cool. Damar crystals are popular, and a ratio of 1:9, damar to wax, works well. You can play around with this ratio to get results that suit you and your work. Other artists may use caranuba wax pellets. If too much of the hardening wax or resin is added, the wax may become too brittle for painting and actually contribute to the finished painting breaking in the future. You can buy damar crystals from Daniel Smith, or R&F. R&F Encaustic also sells blocks of encaustic medium that are ready to go… and wonderful to use, though the cost adds up fast. An alternative is to make your own.
You might be wondering- what about other waxes? Can’t I use the big block of candle wax in my garage? There are artists out there experimenting with various types of wax…. every wax has it’s own qualities: Different hardnesses, different melting and burning points, different smells, or clarity or color. If you are interested in different waxes, I’d say go for it- but be careful. And be sure to test the strength and resilience of the wax as used in your work. All of this said, I stick with beeswax. It has stood the test of time (thousands of years!), is predictable, and smells wonderful in the studio when heated. I keep some melted parafin wax in a container on my pallet for rinsing my brushes between colors, and that’s about it.
Laying down the wax, above, and below.
When painting in encaustic, we are essentially laying down layer after layer of thin wax. It may look solid, but what you can’t see is that these layers will remain discreet- and susceptable to separation until fused. Fusing is simply the process of applying heat to create a bond between the wax layers, making the piece into one whole, instead of many sheets of wax. I talked about this in my safety post- what tools I use and why.
Above, beginning to fuse the first two layers of wax with a heat gun.
Here, you can see where the wax darkened as it seeped into the paper ground. This makes for a very stable base to work on.
To make things more complicated, different waxes on your painting may melt at different rates. Beeswax medium made with damar melts at a lower temperature than plain beeswax. encaustic paint melts at different rates, depending on the pigment used. So, when it comes to fusing, it really pays off to play around and get to know your tools and materials.
Melting a block of paint onto the griddle.
Mixing some beeswax into the melted paint can give it some luminosity.
When I paint, I deeply fuse my underlayers of the painting. If the painting is backed with paper or fabric, I fuse until the backing darkens slightly, indicating that the wax has penetrated. (like in the picture above) It is a little harder to gauge when painting directly onto wood, or encaustic gesso, as those surfaces don’t darken, but you essentially want to make sure that you are creating a solid base for your painting. As I add the first layers, I continue to fuse thoroughly. As I work my way up to the surface of the painting, I fuse more and more lightly, so as to not upset the paint I’ve already laid down. I tend to lay down layers of clear beeswax between collage or painted layers to act as a buffer to subsequent heating. My final layers are usually delicate, and require only the lightest of fusing. I run the heat gun at a bit of a distance, and only until the wax goes from matte to glossy, then I immediately move the heat.
Through trial and error, experimentation and observation, you’ll get to know the wax, and find a way of layering and fusing that works for you and your work.
*In the previous version of this post, I advised using beeswax in the under-layers of a painting to save money. I stopped that practice long ago. I found that some of that early work had a tendency to bloom especially badly, taking a year or more before it stabilized. I now only work with encaustic medium. I’ve also switched to a torch! Saves so much time….
You were right when you said there wasn’t enough on the internet about encaustics. I know because i have looked. This is awesome and i look forward to seeing more, both because i hope to be trying my hand at them in the not to distant future and because I love the thought of watching one of your ethereal works of art take shape.
Happy Thanksgiving Lisa!
xo
Erin
Your paintings are so simply elegant – I had no appreciation before of how complex the process is!
Thanks….and Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi – I’m an encaustic artist also. I just found your blog, and despite the fact that this is a post from November, I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed seeing your setup and reading about your work. I’ll be sure and check back to read your new posts. I love your work – very delicate and ethereal.
Thanks for the feedback, malissa. It’s always encouraging to get comments like yours! Anywhere I can check out your work? I keep a list of other encaustic artists on my Delicious account.
Hi again, Lisa –
Yes, you can check out some of my work here on wordpress. http://www.malissamartinwilke.wordpress.com.
I’ve just recently begun the blog so it’s not very extensive yet, but I’d love for you to take a look.
I am just beginning, trying to fuse photographs with layers of wax. Thank you for an initial lesson. I do look forward to more.
Really great!
Thanks for your stuff on the write-up Encaustic Technique #2:
Wax and Layering | Lisa Kairos: Open Studio.
They are generally quite practical! I enjoyed checking your piece of writing.
This design is spectacular! You definitely know
how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your
video, I was almost moved to begin my own blog
(well, almost…HaHa!) Great work.
Hi!
I’m at work surfing around your blog from my iphone 4S! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
I would like to know more about recycling candle wax onto creative surfaces, encaustic processes, and resin layers. Has anyone ever heard of mixing resins or applying bar top on top of wax surfaces? I like to recycle any ideas with candle wax?
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My blog site is in the very same niche as yours and my visitors would definitely benefit from some of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this okay with you. Appreciate it!|
Reblogged this on Sealed In Wax.
Great teaching…some clear and simple information, much thanks for that!! i would like to test with some collage drawings i am making
I have not yet painted in wax,but am going to give it a shot.About pens, I am a jeweler and work in wax [lost wax] there are a couple of good wax pens available through jewelry tool supply outlets like rio grande they last forever and have a variety of tips
Lisa,
Do you have any tutorials or tips around the use of stencils in encaustic? For example, what do you use to cut the stencils from? Something that does not melt or get stuck in the wax? I have used my Photoshop C26 to design stencils and then linked it up with a Cricut stencil cutter. My hands become too sore if I cut it by hand.However, I cannot find the right medium for the stencil.
Hi Brenda, I cut all my stencils by hand and use either shelf liner or manilla folders. I can re-use the manilla folder ones several times before I discard them. Sorry, no tutorials. good luck finding a solution that works for you!
hi. I’ve recently returned to working in encaustics because now I have a studio. it’s slowly coming back to me… but I wanted to ask u, u wrote in * at bottom that u’ve switched to torch. I was considering switching to heat gun. I bought one yesterday and just can’t seem to get it going properly. do u prefer a torch now? debating whether it’s worth doing heat gun route.
I have another question, I can’t seem to remember how to get rid of those tiny pin dots that shows up as I fuse the layers…
thank u for ur posts too, I enjoy refreshing my memories and learning new things from u too.
sophie
Thank you for the info! It helped a lot!
Pingback: The Essential Encaustic Painting Supplies You Need - Jae Johns