I recently made a series of 6 sculptures using encaustic. Encaustic paint is made by melting wax and damar crystals, and mixing them with pigments for color. Each painted layer then has to be fused to the layers underneath it by liquifying the surface with a propane torch.
The materials I used are: encaustic (wax, pigment, damar resin), cardboard, galvanized steel, and polyvinyl acetate (a fancy way of saying Elmer’s Glue or white glue).
I documented the process from ideation to completion, and you can scroll down to see it from start to finish.
The sculptures are on view and available from the Art Gallery at Congdon Yards in High Point, NC till April 19th.
My sketchbook a couple months ago: the sculpture shape ideas (right) and color combination ideas for sculptures (all over the place). There’s also a drawing for a painting (top left), planning for this exhibit (bottom left), and random ink marks
Drawing a shape on cardboard
Cutting out shapes using an X-acto blade
Cutting and shaping steel wire for the legs and base. The base pieces are also shown
Testing the steel legs and base for balance
Clamping and drying the sculptures. Here the body shape has been attached to steel legs, which has been sandwiched between 2 base plates.
Some of the sculptures after I filled in all the edges with Golden Light Modeling Paste. This way I have a nice smooth, not rough cardboard-y, edge. I sanded and shaped all the edges.
Priming the pieces using R&F Encaustic Gesso for a nice smooth absorbent surface. I sanded the surfaces before and after.
Four of the sculptures primed and ready to go
My encaustic hotplates with melted unmixed colors in the big pots and mixed colors in the lids. The big containers contain clear medium and white.
Six finished encaustic sculptures
In this video you can watch how I fuse the encaustic layer using a propane torch.