About Encaustic Painting
Encaustic painting is an Ancient Greek and Roman art that means ‘burning in’. It is also known as hot wax painting and uses hot bees wax mixed with damar resin (tree resin) and vibrant pigment. Torches and other methods of heat are used to fuse and bind the medium to a gesso treated wood board. Often the wax is scraped, carved, and layered to create amazing textures in addition to the vibrant colors. When painting with fire using a torch or heat gun, the wax blends and forms vivid colors, shapes and textures. Each painting has its own completely unique, beautiful statement.
A brief history of encaustic painting
The word encaustic originates from the ancient Greeks, and means "burning in". The oldest surviving encaustic panel paintings are the Romano-Egyptian Fayum Mummy Portraits from Egypt, around 100-300 AD. It was a very common medium in ancient Greek and Roman painting.
Here I'm working on a painting, using a hot plate with melted wax and heated brushes. The wax gets applied to the heated wood panel, and fused with either a torch or heat gun. As the wax melts the colors rise up from the layers beneath and form fascinating color blends and shapes. More paint is applied and fused, and layers build up, as much or as little as the artist chooses.
