Encaustic Monoprint

Encaustic painting is the process of fusing one layer of wax to another using a heat source from either above the surface or underneath. My upcoming classes will teach students how to do both by using a skillet, heat gun, clothes iron, hot box, and lots of other cool toys!

The first thing I do before I start painting is research my subject matter. Sometimes my research comes directly from nature, and sometimes it's just made up in my head and recorded in my sketchbook.

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Next I heat up the hot box and wax on the skillet.

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Next I choose a paper on which to print...in this case I chose Hosho, a type of rice paper. I clamp it to the hot box then fold it back until I'm ready to print.

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Next I draw the image I want onto the hot box using encaustic crayons and melted medium, working with liquid wax the whole time. Depending on how hot the box is, some of the colors bleed into eachother. Once I have the painting finished, I gently lay the paper over the wax until it begins to bleed through. Then I gently peel back the paper and this is the result!

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Detail of the encaustic monoprint

Detail of the encaustic monoprint