FrankenMUD Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hey All, I am total getting ready to use encaustic wax to finish off a sculpture. Any helpful hints how to use it for a surface decoration and texture? Should I just start off with color? or place a layer of wax medium first? I know it is not glaze but hey! I just got try it! Any books or articles out there? Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Kline Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hey All, I am total getting ready to use encaustic wax to finish off a sculpture. Any helpful hints how to use it for a surface decoration and texture? Should I just start off with color? or place a layer of wax medium first? I know it is not glaze but hey! I just got try it! Any books or articles out there? Help! Hey FrankenMud! I'm assuming you're talking about parafin? I would be cautious about how hot you heat the wax and also be careful about vapors. Have good ventilation. I have used parafin as a resist but not as a finished surface. I hope this helps you explore that wonderful medium. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Kline Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 Just found this link about a book on the stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Kline Posted May 25, 2010 Report Share Posted May 25, 2010 This just in from FB and Katherine Meacham, I mix paraffin and bees wax. The paraffin is clear but brittle, the bees wax is opaque but flexible. I mix in oil pastels or oil paint to get my colors. You must wear a respirator when working with this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 I'm not sure how you will be using the wax on your sculptures, but there are a couple of articles on Ceramic Arts Daily under "Ceramic Decorating Techniques" which you might find useful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Adrien Arleo does a lot of wax encaustic on her ceramics and I attended one of her classes. She uses a yellow or bleached beeswax, melted, and oil paint to tint (optional). She heats hers in soup cans sitting in water in a hot plate burner - outside and using a vapor respirator. She c-clamps the cans to the side of the hot plate so they don't float around in the water, possibly tipping over. She adds Demar Varnish (sp?) as a hardener. She uses a natural bristle brush to put on piece (nylon bristles will melt). And she uses a heat gun to melt the wax into the piece a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pent19 Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 I would be very interested in seeing the final results of this! As an artist I work in 2 mediums-clay and encaustics. I am on a clay kick right now and my encaustic equipment gathers dust on the other end of my studio. However I was eyeballing my encaustics and beginning to toy with some ideas. I have used beeswax, colored pigment (from RandF Encaustic or DickBlick.com). I received a grant years ago to purchase equipment so I have a legit and safe set up. I use a heated metal palette and an electric burner underneath. I have an asst. of muffin tins on top with colors (25% pigment 75% beeswax.) I am pretty straightforward with my approach. (melted wax with pigment straight to canvas or masonite) because I love the texture and visercal affect of this medium. I assume you are applying this bisqueware? i don't think the wax would adhere well to a glazed piece. I would assume you are applying it to bisque I would fuse the first layer of wax to the piece. Apply a layer of wax then use a heat gun or handheld iron tool to work the wax into the bisque using a circular motion. That should help prevent it fro flaking or popping off in the future. I also purchase y beeswax in large quantities from a local beekeeper for a fraction of the cost of what you would pay in a store or online. Since my set up is pretty safe i just have an open window for ventalation. It takes at least an hour for my wax to melt and i keep my heat settings on low. I hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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