Equipment
An encaustic workspace can look more like a kitchen than
a studio. You will need a hotplate or griddle on which to
melt the wax pigments, a Crock-Pot or electric fryer for
the medium, and an iron to fuse one layer of wax with the
one below. Heat guns, which can be purchased in hardware
stores, also aid in directing heat onto particular areas of a
painting. Each of these should have a built-in thermometer
that can be set to 200°F (93'C). Anything hotter than
this will cause the wax to smoke. Hair dryers and heaters
designed for embossing with rubber stamps won't work, as
they're not hot enough.
Other materials, such as shells, nails, and paper collage,
can be embedded into the hot wax. Never try using
anything made of plastic, as it will melt and could even
cause a fire.
Although melting wax is not to xic, the fumes can be irritat-
ing. If your eyes start to itch or your throat gets scratchy,
then you can be sure you need more ventilation in your
work space. Ideally you want a way to extract th e fumes.
For this you will need an extractor hood o r a fan set into
a window. If your room has windows that open on either
side of your table, make sure that the wind is d irecting the
fumes away from you. Keep a small fire extinguisher close
by in case of an accident.
You should only purchase encaustic paints and beeswax
medium from reputable art suppliers. Candle wax and wax
crayons won't work well. The best way to begin is t o attend
a short workshop where the materials are available for you
to tryout. Although it's t empting to buy a whole array of
colors, good encaustic paints are quite pricey. Remember,
colors can be mixed' They can also be "extended" by add-
ing a higher percentage of medium. Small amounts of oil
paint or oil stick added to the medium will prod uce subtle
transparent colors.
Metal palette knives and bristle brushes can be used to manipu-
late the wax before it has cooled. After it hardens, a variety of
metal or wooden implements, such 05 dental or metal palette
knives, can be heated and used to smooth the wax. Cheap bristle
brushes get clogged with wax but can easily be feft to warm
and soften on the griddle before reuse. Razor blades are used to
scrape and smooth stiff-warm wax. Various wooden. metal, and
ceramic tools ore for etching and scratching into the hardened
surface.
100 I CREATIVE PAI N T WORKSHOP
A nonstick electric griddle and fry pan, each with a thermostatClockwise from top left: heat gun with built-in fan, fan nozzle,
travel iron, small blowtorch designed for creme bnJlee.... ...... -