How to Begin an Encaustic Wax Painting
Melted colored wax and some cards are the very basics of the ancient art of encaustic painting. Creating images and designs out of wax gives both the professional artist and the novice the opportunity to express themselves. Learning the wax drawing techniques and set up basics is essential to begin an encaustic wax painting.
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Instructions
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Use an electric griddle to heat encaustic wax in metal containers such as metal cupcake cases. Alternatively, keep the wax in blocks and place directly onto hot iron.
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Place a piece of card on a flat surface near the electric griddle, smooth side up. Use only card that has a protective coating (shiny side) for encaustic painting. Working near the heat source or griddle allows for the easy transfer of melted wax.
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Plug in a regular iron and turn to it lowest heat or switch on an encaustic heating tool. Check temperature regularly to make sure it is not getting too hot. Too hot and the iron or heating tool will burn or scorch the card.
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Rub wax over heated iron surface or load edge of heating tool with prepared melted wax. The initial object is to have as much wax as necessary to cover the card.
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Glide iron or heating tool over the surface of the card leaving a thin coating of wax in your wake. An even and smooth colored wax surface is the goal and a little practice is required to master this technique. It should feel as if the wax is pulling or peeling off the heated surface.
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Lay the iron down onto wax card surface and immediately remove to create a swirl effect on the card. Wiggling the iron from side to side or layering the effect will only intensify the texture of the pattern.
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Experiment with using the side of the iron or heating tool to create alternate shapes and patterns in the wax surface. The only way to begin encaustic painting is to try different styles and techniques until you find what works best for you.
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Tips & Warnings
Use only wax that is made for melting purposes.
Be careful when using heating tools or electric irons.
Do not leave heating tools plugged in unsupervised.
