Encaustic Painting, Carving, Graphite and Last Dance

Last Dance
encaustic, graphite and oil on birch 10x10

Fall is here and my walks are full of rich colors and layers.  Encaustic painting really excels in allowing beautiful layering in paintings.  I have been experimenting with using powdered graphite recently.  It really does some amazing things on the wax.  Although it is kind of messy and sticky to everything, the ability to shade and create interesting depth adds a new dimension to things.  Plus, I really love the subtle grays it produces.  I'm also finding the fine lines I can get using an exacto knife in the wax is adding another aspect to getting more detail with a medium that tends to be a little cranky when it comes to fine lines. 
For those of you interested in the process - the background is laid in with graphite and the fine drawn graphite lines are actually done on tissue paper and added to the painting.  The colors are wax and the white leaves are carved with the exacto knife and the line work highlighted with oil stick. 
I hope those of you in the Northern hemisphere are getting out and enjoying Mother Nature's amazing display of fall and all its beautiful colors and layers.
Happy Friday everyone!
 

Encaustic Painting, Chickadees and CeCe

CeCe
encaustic 6x6

I never get tired of painting chickadees.  They are one of my favorites and the ones I see the most from my window.  I truly wish that I had the same energy as one of these little ones.  They are forever active and flitting from branch to branch. Think of all the things I could get done in a day.  But, I do love to settle in the mid afternoon over a cup of coffee and a good book - taking a break from all the commotion even if just for a few minutes.

October is here, fall is starting to show her lovely colors - my favorites - the yellows, oranges and reds.  I've begun to start thinking of making soup and wearing sweaters.  Although, we are having a glorious Indian summer here in the northwest which means no sweaters yet.  

Happy Friday everyone! 

 

 

Encaustic Painting, Fish and Captain



Captain
detail encaustic mixed media on birch 6 x 24



There is something about encaustic painting and fish that just really go together for me.  The textures and the colors are incredible fun.  I'm still working the concept of bigger through modular, diptych or triptych.  This painting actually started with the center piece.  I was demoing to a friend and showing her how texture and mark making work in encaustic.  The panel just looked like it needed to be part of a fish and the rest came together from other 1/2 started panels on my work table. 

 



Captain
encaustic mixed media on birch
triptych 6 x 24



Sometimes images come together quickly and sometimes they seem to take eternity to present themselves upon the surface.  Captain here was a quick one once he got under way.  Thankfully, because we all need victories in the studio to keep the wind in our sails.  A few finishing touches yet to go, so Captain sits on my mantel where I can see him every time I pass by.  The small little nuances will come to mind,  a mark here a line there, a little more yellow, a little less yellow... we'll see.  But he's a keeper.

A happy first weekend of fall/spring to everyone! 

Oh and a Question for you all - do you think fish have that little dot of reflected light in their eye? 

Captain
detail

 

Captain
detail

Mod, Encaustic Painting, Combining Flavors

Dogwood
encaustic mixed media on birch 16 x 19

Modular painting seems to be catching my fancy these days.  I love combining the flavors of encaustic painting, ink drawing, printing, and both abstract and representational art.  The mixed bunch tells a nice story.  These individual paintings are glued together to create one large story panel.  While I like the random size, I'm also working on some that fit together into a regular rectangle.  I am finding the mix and match aspect of working a modular painting is really fun and giving a fresh feeling to the paintings.  Problem is, now I have lots and lots of mix and match pieces on my work table - now the trick is finding the combinations that work together. 
Happy Friday everyone!