Encaustic Tips from the Pros
Encaustic art by Crystal Neubauer
Encaustic art is hot right now (sorry, couldn't resist the pun), with many people (including me), hopping on the beeswax bandwagon.
I'm captivated by the encaustic collage process and the results it produces, and I've been experimenting at home with fabric, papers, and found objects. I'm a very visual learner; I like to see how-tos and examples of results so I can see what I'm aiming for and try out ideas from there.
So I've been reviewing encaustic technique articles from past issues of Cloth Paper Scissors to get some ideas and pick up some tips.
Here are some of my favorites:
From Patricia Gaignat's “Two Beeswax Books” article in the January/February 2009 issue:
Dedicate some brushes to [the encaustic] process. They won't have to be cleaned, ever; just let the wax harden and the next time they are used, lay them in the skillet and the wax will melt.
Encaustic will not adhere to acrylic paint, gesso, or Plexiglas®.
If a collage element looks wrong, just melt the surface a bit and, using a tweezers, lift off the element and smooth the surface with a tacking iron. Alternatively, scrape off the surface with an old credit card or a palette knife.
Encaustic art by Patricia Seggebruch
From Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch's “Encaustic Collage” article in the January/February 2010 issue:
Put large amounts of wax in printmaker's tins and place them on the palette (griddle) to melt the wax. This way, you will have plenty of melted wax at the ready.
To add color to incised lines, rub pigment stick over them liberally, then rub off the excess on the surface with a paper towel.
From Crystal Neubauer in “Artist to Artist” in the January/February 2010 issue:
Experiment with vintage papers. Brilliant colors can become dull or lose their color under the wax and text can be lost; other times, they can be nicely preserved.
Don't overheat the wax or the canvas. Overheating can darken the paper and turn the wax yellow.
When I first read these articles, I enjoyed them objectively, as an editor, and aesthetically, as a viewer of art. But I thought encaustic was too complicated to try myself.
Funny how things can change. Now these articles are my constant studio companions. That's why I love to keep back issues of my favorite inspirational magazines. You never know what might interest you the second time around.
If you're missing these back issues, you can get them and many others right now for a great price during our back issue sale. The table of contents is listed for each one, so you can review it and see what you might have overlooked the first time.
What are your best encaustic tips? Do you have questions for more experienced wax artists? Leave a comment or ask a question on the Cloth Paper Scissors Today blog.
Showing posts with label cloth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cloth. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Cloth, Paper, Scissors rocks!
What a treat to see my work, product and passion in the CPS blog today! Woot!! http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/blogs/clothpaperscissorstoday/archive/2011/02/23/diver-or-wader-what-s-your-mixed-media-style.aspxFebruary 23, 2011
What’s Your Approach to the New?
How do you approach a new (or new-to-you) art medium? Do you wade in slowly, reading up on everything there is to know, researching the tools on the Internet, maybe taking a workshop?
Or do you just grab the basic supplies and dive in, learning as you go and buying specialized materials as needed?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, and many people probably fall somewhere in between.
I have to say I fall into the latter category. I'd like to say it's because I'm spontaneous and free-spirited, but the word that actually describes my approach is “impatient.”
I see a shiny new colorant or a twist on an old technique, and I want to make art with it NOW. So what if I don't have all the supplies or actually know what I'm doing...I'll make do.
Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when I decided to try my hand at encaustic (hot wax) collage. I got a notion to try it, cobbled together the other necessary supplies, had some success, and now I'm addicted.
Now is when I want to get my hands on all the “correct” supplies and learn more than the very basics.
Research. So I've been doing some research. Not only did I re-view (again and again) Amy Stoner's “Encaustic Collage” Workshop™ video, but I got my hands on a copy of Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch's book Encaustic Workshop: Artistic Techniques for Workin g with Wax.
Patricia's book is comprehensive, with information on the basic tools and techniques, mixed-media variations, and how to assemble and display your artwork. She also wrote a terrific article in the January/February 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Between those two sources, I am now well-versed in the basics and beyond.
Wax. There is beeswax and there is encaustic medium. Beeswax comes in refined and natural. The main difference is that the refined variety produces a clear finish while natural beeswax has that warm, honeyed look. It's really a matter of preference.
Encaustic medium is beeswax combined with damar resin. The resin hardens the wax, raises the meltin g temperature, and prevents bloom (turning white).
Application. You can brush on the wax, in which case you'll need a natural bristle brush as synthetic bristles will melt. You can pour wax over your collage or dip pieces in it. Or, you can paint with it, using clear or pigmented wax and a stylus.
Pat Gaignat wrote an excellent tutorial on using a stylus with encaustic collage in the November/December 2009 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Using a stylus allows you to pick up wax and drip it or draw with it, which sounds like a fun option to me.
So far, my preference is for using encaustic medium and a brush, so I plan to stock up on the medium this week during the 15% off sale in the Interweave Store. But I can't wait to try out all my options.
So, which method do you prefer: jumping into the deep end or wading in slowly and carefully? Something in between? Everybody into the pool (aka Cloth Paper Scissors Today blog Comments section) for a discussion!
Cate Prato, Online Editor
Cloth Paper Scissors Today
What’s Your Approach to the New?
How do you approach a new (or new-to-you) art medium? Do you wade in slowly, reading up on everything there is to know, researching the tools on the Internet, maybe taking a workshop?
Or do you just grab the basic supplies and dive in, learning as you go and buying specialized materials as needed?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, and many people probably fall somewhere in between.
I have to say I fall into the latter category. I'd like to say it's because I'm spontaneous and free-spirited, but the word that actually describes my approach is “impatient.”
I see a shiny new colorant or a twist on an old technique, and I want to make art with it NOW. So what if I don't have all the supplies or actually know what I'm doing...I'll make do.
Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when I decided to try my hand at encaustic (hot wax) collage. I got a notion to try it, cobbled together the other necessary supplies, had some success, and now I'm addicted.
Now is when I want to get my hands on all the “correct” supplies and learn more than the very basics.
Research. So I've been doing some research. Not only did I re-view (again and again) Amy Stoner's “Encaustic Collage” Workshop™ video, but I got my hands on a copy of Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch's book Encaustic Workshop: Artistic Techniques for Workin g with Wax.
Patricia's book is comprehensive, with information on the basic tools and techniques, mixed-media variations, and how to assemble and display your artwork. She also wrote a terrific article in the January/February 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Between those two sources, I am now well-versed in the basics and beyond.
Wax. There is beeswax and there is encaustic medium. Beeswax comes in refined and natural. The main difference is that the refined variety produces a clear finish while natural beeswax has that warm, honeyed look. It's really a matter of preference.
Encaustic medium is beeswax combined with damar resin. The resin hardens the wax, raises the meltin g temperature, and prevents bloom (turning white).
Application. You can brush on the wax, in which case you'll need a natural bristle brush as synthetic bristles will melt. You can pour wax over your collage or dip pieces in it. Or, you can paint with it, using clear or pigmented wax and a stylus.
Pat Gaignat wrote an excellent tutorial on using a stylus with encaustic collage in the November/December 2009 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Using a stylus allows you to pick up wax and drip it or draw with it, which sounds like a fun option to me.
So far, my preference is for using encaustic medium and a brush, so I plan to stock up on the medium this week during the 15% off sale in the Interweave Store. But I can't wait to try out all my options.
So, which method do you prefer: jumping into the deep end or wading in slowly and carefully? Something in between? Everybody into the pool (aka Cloth Paper Scissors Today blog Comments section) for a discussion!
Cate Prato, Online Editor
Cloth Paper Scissors Today
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