The Artful Journey, Mixed Media and Chickadee

Chickadee
Encaustic mixed media on birch 6x6

Last week I wrote about being fickle.  This week - I didn't even turn on the hot palettes.  I've been wooed away with working on my pay it forward art project things and cutting, pasting, water coloring and sewing (yes, sewing) for those.  Some of our friends from PPF are joining in - you should pay them a visit and see if you can get in on the fun Irene, Valerie, Tracey,  Ilona, and Coreopsis and Tracy.  If you are on the fence about the project - jump in.  Its fun and an opportunity to get some art flowing around the world.   
I got out the old White sewing machine and fired it up.  Still working after years of closet time and a couple of house moves in between.  I even remembered how to thread the darned thing - although I need my glasses to do that now :)  My projects aren't quite done yet, so I won't show them this week.  They do incorporate wax too so I'm not totally leaving it behind.  And next week - back to work in the wax.  I'm still wondering how all these things will come together some day - there is beginnings of it here with this painting.  I love being an explorer on the artful journey - so many interesting twists and turns along the way. 
Happy Friday everyone! 

Encaustic Hot Pen Fun

Encaustic hot pen - how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways

 

 

1. blending colors on the surface of the painting
2. fine line and detail work
3. no need for extra fusing - it fuses as you go because its hot :)
4. less wastage of wax
5. meditative qualities 

 



hot pen face on 3x3 board
this face is blended entirely on the surface using the hot pen to work the wax and color

 

Now, let me tell you this love affair with the hot pen is new.  I have owned a hot pen since 2011 and totally discarded it as a worthless thing to take up space in my studio.  But, now - I understand how to use it thanks to Larry Calkins and the recent mixed media encaustic class I took at Pratt in Seattle. 

 

Unbeknownst to me there is a right hot pen and a wrong hot pen - I currently own the wrong one and I did order the right one which can be ordered here.  I believe this is the only place to get it in the US.  But, I may be wrong - so make a comment if you know otherwise.

 

The difference is heat.  The green one gets a bit hotter and makes it much easier to blend wax colors on the surface.  Although it can smoke and you don't want to breathe that, so take precautions.  But, for blending on the surface its really good.  The tip is designed to suck up the wax (easiest from a hardened block of wax) into a groove and then release it onto the surface on which you are working by touching the tip to the surface.

 

The trick to using the hot pen is a very light touch.  The way to get the feeling for the right touch to use is to imagine writing on the back of your hand and not burning yourself.  This was demoed to me, but I haven't been brave enough to try it and of course I do not recommend that you try for fear you may burn yourself.  But use your imagination and think along those lines when using the pen.  If you use too much pressure, you will find the pen will pick up the color of the wax surface you are working on and not lay lines in as you might wish - light touch... really light touch. 

 

I also find that really you don't need a thick wax surface to work on - in fact I think it works best with just a thin layer of wax on board.  One way to use it is that you can lay in your drawing on the board, cover with medium and then use the pen to fill in the drawing.  This is where the meditative qualities come in - just filling in little by little is like zen.   I tend to use it for small faces, good detail, drawing, and line work. 

 

Its a good tool for starting out in encaustic painting because it is an easy set up and easy to put away at the end of the day. 

 

 

 

 

Owl, Pendulums and Being Fickle

Owl
encaustic and mixed media on birch 12 x 12

I seem to be becoming kind of fickle.  My tastes are changing and I'm finding my attention waivering from one place to the next.  Mixed media, collage and whatever else I can get my hands on these days.  I'm going to chalk it up to spring and the concept of new in the air.  I believe art is like a big giant pendulum - we swing from one side to the other side before finding the balance in the middle.  I know the balance will come and for now - I'm on a really fun ride.
Happy Friday every one.  And... I'm still open for a few takers for my art project.  Don't be deceived by the count - there may be a few extra spots for those that are committed.

Pay It Forward Art Making Project

Encaustic and mixed media accordion book
 

* Pay It Forward Art-making Project for 2014 *

I promise to make a small work of art for the first five people who comment on this post and say "YES, I want in". A 'like' alone is not enough of a commitment, nor is a comment about thinking Pay It Forward is a great idea.

You must in turn post this as your status update and make something for the first five who comment on your status.

The rules are simple:
– It has to be your work, made by you, and the recipient must receive it before 2014 ends.
– It can be anything art-based: a drawing/illustration or a conceptual work of art, a photograph, a knitted item, cross-stitch, paper maché – or anything in between.

I'm paying this forward thanks to Jack Oudyn.  Yes, you can be on each other's pay it forward lists.

First five, GO!

PS. It doesn't matter if you aren't an artist, try something out, google/ YouTube how to make stuff, step out of those boundaries.

 Step 1Copy&Paste this (see below) as your latest entry on your favourite social website (in my case, its this blog) 

 
Step 2For the first five people who comment on your blog entry saying they want to participate, you will do an art trade with them that must be completed by December 31st 2014. I would count as the first person so technically you only need another four. If you find your friends are keen you can do as many as you want.


Step 3All forms of art count including creative writing , photography, digital anything goes!
 
If you have any more qustions, just email me and let me know