Encaustic Painting

Encaustic, a wax-based painting medium, flourished more than 2,000 years ago in Greco-Roman Egypt where shipbuilders first used beeswax to caulk their vessels and later added pigments to create patterns. Soon artists began using encaustic for flat easel paintings and for polychroming clay and marble sculptures. Today, encaustic painting is experiencing an unprecedented revival. Artists have “discovered” how the unique properties of this beautiful and challenging medium can be combined to produce luminous colors in hidden and revealed layers. Working with molten wax, brushes, heat guns, and an assortment of scrapers and scribers, the artist creates by laying down and removing layers of transparent and translucent density. The ability of wax to encapsulate makes it an ideal medium for collage and mixed media pieces.

Encaustic paintings have a durable overall integrity. If the surface gets dull, gently buff it with a soft cloth to restore the luster. As with any fine art, encaustic paintings should not be displayed in direct sunlight.