Encaustic Paintings

Friday, March 9, 2007

Encaustic Evolution



This is the finished encaustic...I posted its ongoing evolution a while back. At least for now its complete..thats the beauty of encaustic painting... The process is ongoing. By the way I am already working on another encautic paintings...
more about that later...

For those interested... here is some more information on encaustic painting.


Encaustic or hot wax painting originated in the 5th century BC in Greece. It was originally used as a means to decorate ships and later evolved into a fine art form, most often used in mural painting and funeral portraits.
Our childrens crayons are a direct decendent of encaustic paints...

Encaustic is beeswax-based paint that is kepy molton on a heated palette. It is applied to the surface and reheated to fuse the paint into a uniform enamel-like finish.

Encaustic has a long history, but it is as versatile as any 20th century medium. It can be polished to a high gloss; it can be modeled, sculpted, textured, and combined with collage materials, It cools immediately, so there is no drying time, yet it can always be reworked.

The durability of encaustic is due to the fact that beeswax is impervious to moisture. Because of this it will not deteriorate, it will not yellow, and it will not darken. Encaustic paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass.

The 20th century has seen a rebirth of encaustic on a major scale. It is an irony of our modern age, with it's emphasis on advanced technology, that a painting technique as ancient and involved as encaustic should receive such widespread interest.

For those who want even more information on this fascinating medium see the r & f paints website.

www.rfpaints.com