What is Encaustic
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting , involves using molten beeswax, damar resin and colored pigments. The damar resin helps the beeswax harden once applied to the work surface—usually prepared wood. Metal tools and brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools and torches can be used to manipulate the wax once it has been applied onto the surface. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials and images can be encased, transferred or collaged onto the surface, or my favorite is building up multiple coloured layers and scraping and gouging to reveal the colours. Rubbing oil paint, oil pastels or oil sticks on the surface to enhance the texture of the beeswax.
History of Encaustic
Encaustic painting (from the Greek: "burnt in") was an ancient method of fixing pigments with heated wax. It was first practiced in Egypt about 3000 BC. The best known of all ancient encaustic works are the Fayum funeral portraits painted in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD by Greek painters living in Egypt. These Greek artisans taken from Egyptian mummifying their dead, and the painting of a portrait of the deceased which was placed over the person's mummy as a memorial.
Most of our knowledge of the early encaustic paintings comes from the Roman historian, Pliny who detailed how encaustic was used for the painting of portraits, scenes on panels, for coloring marble and terra cotta, and for work on ivory. Many of the pieces from this time survive today, and their color has remained as fresh..
Most of our knowledge of the early encaustic paintings comes from the Roman historian, Pliny who detailed how encaustic was used for the painting of portraits, scenes on panels, for coloring marble and terra cotta, and for work on ivory. Many of the pieces from this time survive today, and their color has remained as fresh..