Photo-Encaustic With Painting

I have been continuing with my photo-encaustic endeavors. Prior pieces have included the addition of pigments rubbed into the wax by hand over large areas of the image, but I wanted to try something a bit different this time. I wanted to give more precise pigment application a try.

To start with, I wanted to combine both smooth and textured areas of wax, as suggested by the image. For this reason, I applied the wax smoothly over the sky and smooth area of water (made smooth by long exposure). The area in the foreground had breaking waves and movement, and thus the wax was applied as a texture there, as well as over the main rocky sea stack.

View fullsize

Sea Stack Encaustic © Howard Grill

I was then able to apply enhancing pigments (the wax application alone does dull the color a bit) using my fingers over the sky, smoothed-out water, and the central areas of the sea stacks. But fingers can’t be used to apply the pigment right out to the edge of the sea stacks because the details at the edge are too fine. So I decided to try a bit of painting. It really wasn’t too difficult to thin the pigment out (pigment sticks are composed of pigment, beeswax, and linseed oil) with a bit of walnut oil and then use a fine brush to apply it out to the edges of the sea stacks.

Not only does the finished product have a three-dimensional look to it because of the textured wax, but the fact that it is mounted on a 7/8-inch cradled wood panel also contributes to that feeling.

I am quite pleased with how this one came out. I am considering starting to sell some of these pieces, so if any readers are interested in acquiring one, just drop me a message.

Get new posts by email:

Subscribe