The word Encaustic (or hot wax painting) is derived from the Greek, meaning “burning in”. It is an ancient art form of painting with pigmented wax.
Encaustic process
Pigmented wax is heated to a liquid state just under 200 degrees prior to painting to substrate. In this picture clear wax was placed over a mixed media collage made from acrylic Gelli Monoprints cut into pieces and positioned on a wood cradled panel. These collaged phrase pieces are on display at Charlotte Art League in Charlotte, NC presently.
Manipulate wax.
Using a heat gun to soften the wax to distrubute it over the collage in this picture. For the encaustic paintings of the landscape or the desert flower a special brush picks up pigmented wax and paints it onto the wood substrate much like working with actual paint. You have to make sure the wax is kept at the right temperature and doesnt smoke or get too cool. Its trickier than paint as it starts to cool immediately as it comes off the heated griddle so you have to work fast!
