Monoprinting with Wax

Here is an encaustic monoprint I did today. I am not finished with it yet, I want to do more drawing and incising but I was so pleased with these brilliant colors I had to take photos of them. Mind you I did not do this the traditional way with a hot palette. I just used my pancake griddle and melted the wax directly on it. Then I laid my sheet of 140 lb watercolor paper on top and it picked up some of the color. I had to repeat this about 5 or 6 times to get enough wax on it. I am not sure how it is to be framed as encaustic usually is not put under glass. I will have to investigate.  Look at the color in these details!

I really like the way the white line shows up. I used a
heated stylus with a calligraphy tip.

Metallic wax was used in this detail in the stylus.

Tranquility

These Asian inspired boxes are really fun to make and are the first assemblages I started making in the

 early years. Although  "Tranquility" is a fairly recent one. I used vintage milk paint on this box, I had painted usually paint them with acrylics or spray enamel. The boxes come from a variety of places. This one is just a simple, shallow cigar box. I am always on the lookout for an unusual wooden box to alter. One of my favorite finds was a 1950's children's wooden tool box from ebay. It had so many neat holes, pullouts and drawers, I really had fun with that one and will be posting it in the future. One of the things I enjoy about doing these is the process of making them look ancient.  I was thrilled with the crackle medium I used on the top, it made so many fine little cracks. I then rubbed brown shoe polish into the cracks. The resulting patina was amazing and looked very old.

I have painted all of the inside of the box with 4 or 5 layers milk paint. The milk paint is mixed very thick ( like buttermilk) and sanded well between each coat. Then the collage papers are added. More paint and more collage, drawing and distressing. The final objects are added and colored beeswax is dripped in selected spots.

An old coin I aged placed on a hand made clay disc.

This detail shows a paper wrapped candle on the interior.

A Field Trip with Mama

This is what is so special about living here  in the Smoky Mountains. Today I casually glanced out my sunroom
window and was greeted by these charming visitors to my yard.  I have been experimenting with taking photos of my artwork with my new camera so it was handy. I grabbed it and pulled out the zoom and here is what I got. I know I usually put up artwork but isn't this a marvelous change. They are licking what is left of last winters salt lick, and basically it it just the leftover residue that has crystalized on the stump. We put one out every year at the beginning of winter. There are several types available and the one we like best is a natural salt rock and contains all the minerals.
At first I didn't see the second fawn, his spots act as such a great disguise. I have watched before and the little ones are so full of mischief they run circles around poor mama. It is quite comical to watch, you can just hear her saying,"Settle down and leave me alone or we'll have Time Out"

After about 15 minutes they had their fill and quietly left. I love this photo of them through the trees.

I wish I could have gotten closer but if I had made the slightest move they would have ran, they are very skittish and can even see me if I am in the house and move.

Evolved Landscape

This encaustic painting is 8 X 8 and is painted on a cradled board. A cradle is like a box and it enables the artist to utilize the sides of a painting as well as it's surface. They are quite a bit more expensive to buy but they are a stand alone piece and do not have to be framed. The workmanship on the corners and  back is excellent, so it is worth the price. These are made by the Ampersand company and claybord is the one used for encaustic painting. Here is a close up of the sides. I have painted mine with acrylics as the wax might not be as durable here. But they are finished edges and can be left unpainted.

I have collaged silk organza, that I have hand painted and drawn lines on, to the surface. I've been experimenting with ways to do delicate lines on the wax. I am pleased with this method.

This view shows the lines in the purple ink. The other lines are turquoise blue oil pastels and are applied directly to the wax and then covered with a coat of medium. But they are thicker and not as detailed. 

This detail of the surface shows a close up of the oil pastel and the collaged piece of organza in the upper portion. The small letters also at the top are metal stamps pressed into the wax and filled with a metallic gold paint stick.

This detail shot shows the rectangle of organza with the line drawn. Collage is a good way to achieve a crisp sharp line on the surface of the wax.  Since the organza was painted first and had color it gives a subtle shading over the color it was collaged to.