Explore Encaustic

Red Bouquet, Encaustic on Board 12" x 12" by Cathy Loos

by Cathy Loos

Cathy Loos likes to combine mediums in her search for interesting visual images.  More than twenty years ago she became intrigued by painting with melted wax.  Cathy was drawn to the scent of hot beeswax, its luminosity, and range of textures and dimensions. 

Hot beeswax medium (beeswax and damar resin) can be used in numerous ways:  as a binder for creating a collage, as a coating on a sculpture, as part of the painting process, or to embed photos. The options for creating with beeswax medium are nearly unlimited.

This image (Red Bouquet) was created by using the ancient process of encaustic painting which can be traced back to the Greeks and Egyptians. First Cathy lays down a layer of hot wax medium on a rigid, porous surface.  She then uses a propane torch and/or electric heat gun to fuse the layer of wax medium onto the board. The first two layers are usually clear wax medium.  Pigment (color) is added to subsequent layers. Each layer is lightly fused together.  Cathy spreads shellac onto the final layer.  When it is nearly dry, she uses a torch to burn the shellac into delicate patterns.
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Once the painting has cured for about a day. Cathy uses a soft cotton cloth to buff the painting to a lustrous shine.
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