Experiments in Encaustic

"Perfect Specimens"

Here is one of my latest encaustic pieces. It is painted on a small 6" X 8" masonite board.. Because masonite is not porous, the surface must first be covered with paper. The paper acts as a primer to absorb the first layer of wax.

I collaged a vintage book page as the first layer. Old books work best, as the paper is dull and very absorptive. Glossy books and magazines do not work. Watercolor paper makes a nice surface if a white background is desired. The figures are drawn in with green wax thinned with encaustic medium to form a glaze-like paint. I used several layers in the areas I wanted to obscure the most. My next layer is a decorative napkin that I have cut the design from and collaged on top of the figures.

The line work is drawn into the wax with a sharp stylus and then filled with a soft black pigment stick. The wonderful insect is a lazer copy from one of my most favorite books, Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, which I transferred to the surface .

I discovered something neat when I went to buff this piece. There was a used swiffer sheet on my work table and I used it to polish the surface and wow, it worked great! Periodically these pieces need to be buffed to remove a white dusty look called bloom that happens to the beeswax over time. The colors and glassy surface the swiffer sheet gave them is truly amazing.