i have been struggling with another encaustic ...which started out with high hopes and has shifted quite a but through the process. Here is the background I began with....planning on transferring an image of a suspension bridge that I photographed this summer up at Howards Creek Ranch . A magical place I love to stay at, up on the Mendocino coast, in Westport.
It reminds me of a pregnant spirit of some sort.
Here is the photograph I tried to transfer.
The resulting transfer reminds me of a tower, golden, and lighted, but its wasn't the image I was working toward. I realized there was too much dark, not enough contrasting light, and I had to presss and scrape and still didn't get an image that in any way resembled the bridge or what it was I was trying to convey. I also realized my background wasn't light enough....so ...
So I decided in the process of scraping off the ink transfer with a bone folder, to keep playing, and I transferred a tree and a bird over it, began scraping into the dark transfer grasses and the textured became as important as the image. This is where I am so far, taking it into a new direction. I am liking it, and plan to paint more encaustic into it, and rub some inks into the scratching and see where it goes... This is what I have been up to, following my process and seeing if I can take this somewhere new. Learning all the while. 
6 comments:
Loved to watch the transition of this painting. That is the joy of a medium like wax that you can evolve a painting in this way!
yes trusting the process is often an act of bravery, rather than giving up, giving in and going with what comes up ....and encaustic is the perfect medium for exploring in this way. I still am not sure where it will go, if anywhere...Thanks for the comment.
I followed you here from flickr-- I just love your paintings. I am entertaining the idea of encaustic painting-- I'm an acrylic/canvas girl normally. I've seen so many techniques I want to try. But I was curious if you would mind answering a question for me? I wondered how you get the black photo of the trees/birds onto the painting. I'm baffled because it looks like it was painted or stamped onto the background but you mentioned that it was some kind of photo transfer. So how do you see the background through the trees? Is the photo printed onto something clear like transparency material? Very, very creative. You have unbelievable talent! Thanks for your guidance and suggestions!
Oh, you can email me at sunshyngoddess(at)yahoo(dot)com Thanks!
Hi Momma,
What I am doing is transfering a photo onto the encaustic painting which becomes the background. By transfering, I am taking a fresh b&w zerox of the photo, and placing it face down onto the encaustic background, then taking a bone folder, a credit card edge works as well, and then pressing and scrapping again and again until completely scrapped, then spraying or sponging water all over it, the paper rolls off and the ink is transferred onto the piece. The background of encaustic paint shows thru...wherever there is no ink. It is rather simple, yet takes a bit of time and energy to do.
I love the dreamlike effect it creates. Good luck on your experimenting creatively. Caterina
Thanks so much for sharing! I wish I were closer so I could take one of your classes!
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