Encaustic art is art which is made by melting wax and using it as a pigment medium. The result is a rich, vibrant, textural work of art which can be endlessly manipulated with an assortment of tools. The art form is actually thousands of years old, several museums and art galleries have examples of encaustic art from places like Ancient Egypt and medieval Europe.
The waxes used in encaustic art vary. Beeswax is the classic medium, although other types of wax can be used as well. Most encaustic artists use blocks of wax which have already been dyed. The melted wax is daubed onto a sturdy backing and then spread as desired. It can be manipulated just like ordinary paint with the assistance of brushes and other tools, or it can be allowed to cool so that the wax can be carved.
You can also transfer your designs onto fabric such as calico and cotton and work in beads and stitch.
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| I transferred a design from card onto fabric - picture quality not that great. |
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| My friend Morag using a heat gun to create texture on fabric |
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| The Blue Tree - created with wax and an iron - amazing! |
