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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Experiments In Encaustics

I'm finally able to start experimenting! I received my encaustic medium today so now my kit is complete. The top photo, "Sunday Morning Mist", is my first attempt at using the encaustic medium. There's that cloudy look I'm after! I am going to have to get some detail brushes. The chip brushes are fine for slathering on paint but I need some smaller ones too.

Since I didn't get the medium until today, I have still been playing with the paints. Here is "Wild". This is a different look than you are accustomed to when you think of encaustic. I LOVED the demo of how to do this on the FineArtStore site. They sell the encaustikos brand of products and a little thing called the pen tool. That's what I used to paint this one:

You get a lot more detail with the pen tool (and a very fine point nib). You have to dip the pen into the wax paint and then make your strokes. It's kind of like writing with a calligraphy pen but you don't fill the pen; you have to dip it each time into the wax and then paint. Takes a lot of patience but I'm getting better at it. I like the looks you can get with it. It's great for blending the wax to get just the right shade. I'm working on a bigger face right now but it will definitely take a while.

These next two were just done on 3.25" x 7.25" basswood. I wanted to start out small. The first one is called "Pink Attitude". I wanted to get the feel of the wax paint and practice mixing it on the palette. At the end I just splattered white wax all over it. I also used an image I transferred to muslin. I used the wax to glue her down.


The last one is called, "Bleeding Heart". I used another image transfer on muslin and painted over it with the white wax.

I'm getting used to working with the wax. I have some other colors on order and hope to get those soon. I also have to work with a window fan as my exhaust system. That means the window is up, holding the fan while it blows the air out. I've had to bundle up while working! At first I was just using the ceiling fan but after reading the hazard warnings I decided to do as they suggest. We are going to get an exhaust fan for the window and then we'll be set. In the meantime I'll keep using the window fan.

7 comments:

Jackie said...

Pam those are so so cool. Wow!! you took to that encaustic like a natural.Love the face alot. It's very interesting and artistic..

Pam Tucker said...

Thanks, Jackie. Oops, I noticed that I uploaded the first photo upside down! All fixed now! ;)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Jackie is right...Encaustic is the perfect medium for you! You are amazing!

studio pashnada said...

these look great
and you can make your own encaustic with beeswax & damar resin - much cheaper. use oil paints or sticks to make colors - even pigment powders
I LOVE WAX
you are never going to be able to stop

Bill said...

I love the face. Wow. You are just becoming too amazing!

Anonymous said...

Your friendly stalker here. Just had to peek and see what you are up to. Wow! To think you are just starting to learn. Can't imagine what better will look like:) I really love the first one - even better when I turn my head -ha, ha. And for some un-explicable reason I really like the last one. Maybe it is the sharp contrast of white and red? Just feel drawn to it! Have fun!

Michele said...

Wow, these new pieces are fantastic! And I love what you have done with the pen tool. What a cool idea!