About Encaustic Painting
Encaustic means- to Burn in
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface-usually prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used.
The simplest encaustic mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other recipes that can be used-some containing other types of waxes, dammar resin, linseed oil, or other ingredients. Pure, powdered pigments can be purchased and used, though some mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment.
Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Today tools such as heat lamps, heat guns, and other methods of applying heat allow artists to extend the amount of time they have to work with the material. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to adhere it to the surface.
This technique was notably used in the Fayum mummy portraits from Egypt around 100-300 CE, in the Blachernitissa and other early icaons, as well as in many works of 20th-century American artists, including Jasper Johns.
Encaustic art has seen a resurgence in popularity since the 1190s with people using electric irons (clothes irons) and paper. The iron makes producing a variety of artistic patterns elementary
Proper care of Encaustic Paintings
Encaustic is a beeswax based paint that consists of beeswax, resin, and pigment. It is molten on a heated palette, applied to a surface and reheated to fuse the paint into a uniform enamel-like finish.
Here are some things to know about the care of encaustic paintings:
After completion of an encaustic painting there is a curing process of a few months. During this time moisture will work its way to the surface and cause a slight haze. If you painting looks dull, or gets dirty it can be wiped clean with water and buffed (gently) to a high gloss using a soft ling-free cloth such as cotton. This sheen dulls over time and can be brought back by repeating the process. Encaustic paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass. The painting is stable under normal temperatures. Indirect sunlight is perfectly fine. I would not recommend direct sunlight (actually direct sunlight is inadvisable for any type of painting but even more so for wax-based paintings). Extreme cold can make the wax more brittle and susceptible to cracking. Again, extreme temperatures are bad for any fine art, not just encaustics. Other inadvisable locations within your house would be any spot near heat sources. Only direct heat or temperatures in excess of 130 degrees may begin to soften the work. Although the surface is completely dry, encaustic paintings can be easily scratched, gouged, or chipped if handled roughly. Encaustic paintings are extremely durable due to the fact that beeswax is impervious to moisture. Because of this it will not deteriorate, it will not yellow, and it will now darken
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