Encaustic is painting with wax crayons melted on the surface of a hot iron. Such a simple device will help you create amazing pictures and master interesting handicrafts. The content of the article:
- What is it
- Wax painting: necessary equipment and materials
- Encaustic for beginners
- Encaustic - a master class with a photo
- Encaustic for the Experienced
- Wax painting technique on paper
- How to draw with an iron - technique for beginners
- Encaustic for children
Encaustic is an old technique that is still popular today. With the help of it, even those who do not have skills in the visual arts can draw. Paintings created using this technique remain vivid for several centuries.
What is encaustics?
This art involves the creation of paintings using molten wax of various colors. Such works are still found in the excavations of Ancient Greece. Early Christian paintings still retain their bright colors.
To work, you just need:
- paper;
- iron;
- wax pencil.
You need to take wax of a certain color or even use several shades at once and apply them to a warm iron. It remains to hold this heated metal tool over the paper, placing the base flat or with an edge. Now let's talk about this in more detail.
Wax Painting: Necessary Equipment and Materials for Encaustics
You can portray anything you want. If you are an aspiring artist, then abstract paintings will be within your power. If you have experience in creating canvases, then you will be able to depict clear landscapes.
The main material that is required in the work is art wax with colored pigments. It is sold in specialized art stores. If it is not possible to purchase such wax, then use drawing crayons and wax crayons. These can be purchased at your office supply store.
You will also need:
- glossy thick cardboard;
- soft cloth for polishing;
- a lining on the work table to keep it clean during use.
If you have the means and you decide to seriously engage in this type of art, then buy a special iron for encaustics.
If this is not possible, then use a regular household iron, but it should be small, have a sole without holes and a temperature regulator.
You will need toilet paper and napkins or a cloth to clean the soleplate of the iron with these materials in order to change the color of the wax to a new one.
If you have a hair dryer in which you can adjust the temperature, then you can use it. Then use wax crayons as materials.
If encaustic becomes your constant hobby or even a source of income, then you will need to buy a special heating rod called causariya. It will help you depict small details and ornate patterns.
Encaustic for beginners
For those who have just decided to master this interesting technique, it will be useful to find out what techniques can be used when working, these are:
- smoothing;
- edge work;
- imprint;
- nose job.
Smoothing is the main technique used in this technique. To use it, turn the iron over so that the heating surface is on top. Put the wax in here, adjust the temperature so that it melts without spreading.
When the material acquires such a consistency, you will need to run the iron over the surface of the paper, but without pressing hard on it, so as not to burn it. A trace of the desired shape should remain on the sheet.
The edge work allows you to create different stripes. This technique is used to paint grass, flowers. First you need to proceed in the same way as in the case when you applied the impression using the smoothing technique. Now place the iron on this drawing with the edge to get the strip of the desired length. Remove excess wax with a soft cloth.
To make veins in the drawing using the encaustic technique, you need to apply paint on a paper base, and then put the sole of the iron on it for a few seconds. At the same time, he should lie like a glove, they should not fidget.
To create fine details of the painting, you need to dip the tip of the iron in melted wax, and then attach it to the canvas in the right place.
Encaustic - a master class with a photo
Now that you have learned the basics of this art, it's time to move on to a practical lesson. It will be easy for beginners.
Take:
- wax pencils;
- white sheet of thick cardboard;
- glue;
- a hair dryer in which you can adjust the temperature.
The pencils should be the same size, if some are longer, trim them back from the shank to align with the others. Spread the top of the sheet with glue, attach the wax blanks here tightly to each other with the tip down. When the glue is dry, bring the hair dryer to the tips of the wax crayons using the highest power. In this case, the workpieces should begin to melt, and the wax will gradually flow down.
If you want strict vertical lines, then keep the piece of cardboard in its usual position. If you want to achieve interesting special effects, then turn it from side to side.
If you are satisfied with the result, then lay the work on a horizontal surface and wait for your masterpiece to solidify.
Such an art object will decorate a home or become an unusual gift for the New Year or another holiday.
The next master class will allow you to create a beautiful abstract painting.
To implement the plan, you will need:
- thick paper;
- small iron without holes on the sole;
- wax pencils;
- paper that can be used to cover the work surface.
Set the iron to nylon and warm it up. Turn this tool with the soles up and place the wax crayons on top. Wait for them to start melting.
Now bring the iron to the paper sheet and start moving it horizontally to one side and the other. At the same time, try to make sure that the colored stripes cross each other as little as possible and mix with each other.
As you understand, the principle of smoothing was applied. Now we need to use the impression method. To do this, press the iron against the surface to leave uneven prints on it. You can make a few more prints on each to achieve an interesting effect.
Wait for the encaustic painting to cool slightly and after about a minute polish its surface with a soft cloth.
An inexperienced viewer is unlikely to understand what you did this work, beautiful and very effective. After practicing with simple samples, you can move on to more complex ones.
Encaustic - a master class for experienced
If you have all the necessary tools, then the work should not seem too complicated, even for masters with little experience. Here's what you need:
- hob;
- iron;
- paper;
- foam rubber;
- the cloth.
First, secure the sheet to the hob with masking tape.
To paint a landscape, take a blue wax crayon or pencil and start shading it at the top of the sheet. Since the cardboard base will be hot, it will not be difficult to do this.
Next, the mountains are drawn. To do this, put a brown chalk on the sole of the iron, turn the tool over, and heat it up.
Then apply an iron to the surface of the sheet, depict peaked peaks and a system of mountains, using some encaustic techniques.
If you need to blend paint, use a piece of cloth or a sponge for this. To surround the mountains with greenery, depict it with a crayon of this color. Draw other elements of the picture, after which you can frame it.
Wax painting technique on paper
Encaustic technique allows you to get very beautiful landscapes. You will be convinced of this now. See what wonderful pictures the craftswomen create.
To work you will need:
- iron for encaustic or ordinary travel small size without holes;
- glossy cardboard, thick photo paper for printers is suitable, on which photographs are printed;
- colored crayons;
- napkins;
- soft cloth.
The iron should be heated first, but not too much. Turn it over and place crayons of the desired color on the sole of this appliance.
When they become soft, you can use them, but without waiting for the wax to start flowing down from the surface of the iron.
Apply melted wax to glossy cardboard, swipe from left to right. At the same time, make a small semicircle with an iron.
Carefully so as not to burn yourself, wipe off the wax from the surface of the iron with napkins and place crayons of a different color here. When they melt, place the iron on the right side of the sheet and swipe to the left, then in the opposite direction and again to the left.
Now you need to remove this wax from the iron with a napkin and melt the brown on it. With the prepared solution, do the so-called sticks. In this case, you need to apply the iron to the paper and quickly lift it. This is done several times.
It remains to outline the small details. For this, the previously listed techniques are used. Run the edge and then the tip of the iron over the pattern to depict a bush.
Look at the beauty. Since the painting is done with wax paints, it will shine delightfully.
The encaustic technique is also good because you can come up with a plot for a picture right on the go. By doing a few strokes of the iron, placing the wax in random order, you may find that you have drawn something unintended earlier.
The craftswoman from the next master class portrayed the bird in this way in her masterpiece. But first things first.
First she took:
- heat-resistant glossy cardboard;
- German and Russian wax crayons;
- iron;
- towel;
- a napkin.
In order not to stain the workplace, you need to lay a towel on it first, and a napkin on top.
Now you need to put white and blue crayons on a warm iron, start drawing with them.
Turn over a piece of cardboard and wax it with an iron on the other side. Now you need to draw the clouds with the edges of the iron.
Occasionally wipe the sole of your instrument with a tissue, if required. But if you use the same colors, then you don't have to. Looking closer, the craftswoman saw that a bird appeared on the canvas, though a little strange. It was decided to paint her feathers with the tip of an iron.
You can make adjustments using a toothpick or a sharp-nosed wooden skewer. With the help of it, you will remove unnecessary things, paint something, clean something.
Now you need to make prints to depict grass, bushes. To do this, put green and brown chalk on the iron, apply them to the desired part of the drawing.
The crowns of trees are depicted as follows. Apply a little brown or green wax to the tip of the iron and paint that part of the painting with this part of the tool.
Using the technique of imprinting, draw leaves on the trunk and branches, and apply an adjustment with a skewer.
The heroine did not like the first bird, so she painted the crown of a tree in this place. But then I decided to draw a white seagull. To do this, you need to scratch the outline of the bird with the tip of a wooden stick. Dip it in melted wax and paint in the details.
All that remains is to polish the masterpiece with a soft napkin and you can hang the picture or present it for any holiday.
How to draw with an iron - technique for beginners
The next master class will allow you to create a picture in red and yellow tones with dark splashes.
Even those who believe that they cannot draw will be able to depict it. To do this, they only need:
- glossy cardboard of A5 format;
- children's wax crayons;
- iron without holes on the sole with a thermostat, which is designed for dry ironing.
The temperature of the iron should be as low as possible, so set the thermostat to the position for smoothing wool or silk. Place the crayons on the bottom of this tool so that yellow is at the bottom, orange below, red even lower, then dark pink and burgundy.
Use this colored rainbow to paint a bright sky using an anti-aliasing technique. To do this, simply move the iron over the surface of the paper as if you were ironing from right to left and vice versa.
Use a napkin to wipe off any excess wax on the warm surface of the iron and add a different color of crayon here. What, can be seen in the next photo.
You also need to iron the sheet horizontally with movements back and forth. This will create the main background.
To draw with an iron further, you need to dissolve black chalk on its tip. Use this part of the work surface of the iron by making an impression on the paper with the tip.
Next, use this technique to make prints at the bottom of the leaf and create fabulous vegetation.
To paint with wax further, use the sides of the iron. Place it on its edge on the printed background to create vertical lines, such as grass.
After you have made an impression with black wax, you will have a certain pattern on the tip of the iron. Do not wipe off this coating, make prints further, you will get a spectacular result.
Such encaustics are also suitable for beginners, as they do not require any special skills.
Now draw with the tip of the iron, for this you need to pick up a little wax with the nose of the iron and drive it in the drawing, creating black flowers and leaves here.
See how to paint with wax birds. To do this, put a point on the desired part of the picture with the tip of the iron. Then draw two wings for each bird with the edges.
The final chord is polishing the image with a soft cloth. It will turn out radiant and brilliant.
When you practice on such works, you will be able to create masterpieces with smaller features in this technique.
To reproduce such a blooming apricot or sakura branch, take:
- black cardboard;
- white marker;
- wax crayons;
- iron;
- soft cloth.
First, draw on a dark cardboard using a white marker the outlines of the future flower.
Hold the iron in your right hand and take the green chalk in your left. Place the tip against the iron to melt the wax slightly.
If you are better at using your left hand, then hold the tool and crayon in the way that suits you.
Start filling one half of the sheet first by moving the iron up and down. Do not peel it off the cardboard to create a continuous layer. Now fill in the other half of the sheet in the same way.
Take the pink crayon, melt it on the tip of your iron, and begin to recreate the pink petal.
Complete all the elements of the flower in the same way. Those petals that are closer to the viewer need to be filled with the last ones to create volume.
Apply brown paint to the tip of the iron and make a sprig. Form the stamens from the yellow and brown.
To make the flower look more realistic, you need to lightly scratch with a special tool from the core to the beginning of the petals. To do this, you can use a sharpened wooden stick.
With the same tool, you can scratch off the wax where it is not needed to smooth out the contours of the petals and flowers.
If the elements of the picture are already frozen, you can put the canvas on a heating surface so that the wax softens slightly and remove excess or draw veins on the sheets. After the final sanding of the picture with a soft cloth, you can proudly admire the result of the work.
Yes, if you try, then the iron will become a tool of a talented artist.
The presented works are more within the power of adults, and young children should not be given even warm irons for work. Therefore, check out the variety of this technique that kids are happy to do.
Encaustic technique for children
Invite the children to do pointillism encaustics. The next master class will help you master this handicraft yourself and teach it to children.
On a sheet of paper, you need to draw with a simple pencil the outlines of the future masterpiece. For example, this is a cockerel.
So that you can depict it, we suggest attaching a sheet of paper to the presented template and simply redrawing it.
Since encaustics still involves heating the wax, so be with your child during the lesson. Place the candle in a convenient container and light it. Have the child hold the crayon over the candle flame until a drop forms. After that, it must be quickly transferred to a certain area of the drawing.
The work requires patience, accuracy, but the result will be amazing. Such a three-dimensional picture will become a source of pride for parents for their child.
If the children are very young, then there is no need to show them the technique of creating a picture with a burning candle, but it is better to teach them how to create masterpieces using the pointillism technique, using a cold method that is safe for them.
Winter drawings will come in handy now. To make them, give the children:
- sheets of black cardboard;
- cotton buds;
- paints.
Let the children dip cotton swabs in white paint and create falling snow and stars out of it. The tree in the center of the composition can also be made in light colors so that it can be seen that it is winter.
Adults or older children can use white wax crayons, heating them to create works, thereby mastering the art of encaustics. To reinforce what you have learned, watch the video to help beginners and older children become even better at drawing with hot wax.
If you have already practiced enough, then try to create a picturesque landscape with the author of the following video.
