I've played around with encaustic before using books and DVDs as a source, but nothing beats having the techniques demonstrated to you by someone who really knows the medium well. And 3 days of playing around is a luxury too!
Encaustic is a medium made of melted beeswax and damar resin (pure or coloured), layered over collages, drawings, shellac - anything really.
During the workshop, I had my first experience of image transfer, its really easy with the wax. I found my niche on day two using some of my gelatin monoprints as a base, then layering with wax, image transfers and shellac.
The shellac was just divine - burning the wet shellac with the heat gun produced the most serendipitous marks (and you know how much I love them!).
Although its back to work today, a four day Easter weekend is looming, so guess what I'll be doing???
Not eating chocolate thats for sure!
p.s. I'll be exhibiting some of my encaustic works at my show in May, look out for them - I can't capture their real depth in photos.
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| Foreground -The wax pots melted and ready to go, Background - Tricia using the heat gun to fuse the wax |
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| Fern monoprint with image transfered text |
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| Fern monoprint, with shellac and image transfer bee |
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| An abstract piece - I love the patterns made in the shellac by burning it! |
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| Here I am, working on another encaustic piece, doing some scratching with a dental tool. I'd later wipe over the surface with oil paint so it picks up the lines |
Lucky girl, getting to take a class from Patricia. She lives much closer to me, tho' I do have her book, I've never taken a class from her. Encaustics are so fun and when the weather improves here, so I can work outside, I'm trying shellac, for sure. I'd love to see your work in person, photos never do it justice.
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