Monday, December 10, 2012

Encaustic on a not so usual surface. Happy Holidays!

 I have enjoyed being a participant in an ornament exchange for the last 2 years.  This year, I am so pleased with my experimenting!  Pottery, drawn on with charcoal, then dipped (tricky) into encaustic (beeswax with medium). 
 Every night I would draw in these 3-dimensional pottery ornaments.  Although I am sure I could have made the ornament forms, I didn't, as they were already at Studio 4 Art, already made!
 Love charcoal!!

 The sunflower was probably my favorite.
I first made my own encaustic medium in a slow cooker with refined beeswax and damar crystals.  Then poured the melted wax into this glass vase.  It took a little experimenting to create a completely smooth surface on a round form.  But I was determined and figured it out, it was all about keeping things similar in temperature.  My oven became my friend.  BE CAREFUL WITH ART MATERIALS in the KITCHEN.  Made sure to cover all surfaces, had all doors and windows open too.
 Dipping the pottery and charcoal into the encaustic medium created a really soft image.  And the feel....so yummy.  Smells good too as the base for encaustic is beeswax. 
 Torch away.  This is necessary to set the encaustic medium.  Each layer needs to be set.  Can I say, difficult on a round form.  On a flat surface this medium can already be challenging.  But I enjoyed the challenge.  Slow and steady is the name of the game.
 Seven of the eight.
Hope the receivers enjoy!  Happy Holidays everyone!

No comments: