LOVE SONG II
Encaustic Mixed Media 16x16
Click
here to purchase on Dailypaintworks.com
This is one of my favorite Encaustic paintings which continued to be be developed as more mixed media elements were added to it. The Yellow Rose is from an oil painting I had done earlier and then printed the image on silk organza. It didn't show up enough so I incised the wax around some of the petals. Because I am temporarily reducing the number of hours spent in daily painting and playing more, I am finding delight in sharing my previously almost-hidden Encaustic Paintings. My next blog will mention some movies I am seeing...catching up there too.
What is ENCAUSTIC?
(noun) - Encaustic (which also goes by "hot wax painting") is an ancient technique. The artist heats beeswax to the liquid stage, then mixes in pigmentation. The resulting medium is applied to a surface (typically wood). After the artist has everything "just so", heat is applied to the whole business, which results in a fusion of colored wax and wood. (Yea, verily -- they become as one...an extremely durable one, at that.)
Before the wax cools, an artist can do all sorts of things to his or her encaustic piece. Metal tools or special brushes can shape and/or texture the substance (layers of which can be anywhere from thin to relief-map thick). One may even affix objects (such as coat hangers, or light bulbs) into the wax. Additionally, an encaustic can be polished to a final sheen, or reworked (through use of heat, again) as much as necessary until the artist is satisfied.
The earliest and best-known examples of encaustic are the Fayum mummy portraits from Egypt (ca. 100-300). The ancient Greeks often used this technique for mural painting, but today encaustic is mostly confined to easel painting. (copied from About.comArtHistory)
My encaustic teacher has become a dear friend of mine though I have not seen her since I studied with her. She's my Encaustic sister-in-art, works too hard, can't stop herself, but is a Master in all that she does. Visit
Helen DeRamus.
