Page 19 - POSTCARDEBOOK2020
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BEFORE YOU GO ON:
BASIC TECHNIQUE - USING BEESWAX AND ENCAUSTIC MEDIUM
About the wax
Most encaustic artists use Encaustic Medium, which is beeswax mixed with
Damar Resin. That works fine for this project, too, but I have come to enjoy
working with pure white (clear) beeswax. It’s softer than Encaustic Medium,
but I don’t build up many multiple layers – perhaps only two or three.
I encourage you to try both pure beeswax and Encaustic Medium and see
what you like. The wax that I usually use provides a simple textural and visual
enhancement to the underlying collage elements and does not really serve
as an image-painting medium on its own.
Safety first My easy setup for small encaustic collages - a
griddle with thermostat, tuna cans, natural bristle
Never heat the wax above 200°F (93° C). You want the wax hot enough brushes in a well-ventilated room.
to flow easily from your brush to the painting surface, but not so hot that
it smokes. Use appliances with temperature controls, and, again, have
adequate ventilation. Use natural bristle brushes which you can find at
hardware stores. Synthetic bristles can frizzle in warm wax.
Several beeswax sources:
• Swans Candles LLP
• Bulk Apothecary
• Amazon
• R&F Encaustics
TIP - If you haven’t worked with beeswax
before, I’d suggest you start off with a one-
pound package of white (bleached) pellet
beeswax
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