Encaustic Painting

One of the classes that my crafters group did was Encaustic Painting. A group of us drove down to down town pasadena and learned the process. Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface — usually prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used.
The simplest encaustic mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other recipes that can be used — some containing other types of waxes, damar resin, linseed oil, or other ingredients. Pure, powdered pigments can be purchased and used, though some mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment.
Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Today, tools such as heat lamps, heat guns, and other methods of applying heat allow artists to extend the amount of time they have to work with the material. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to adhere it to the surface.

It was fun experience and I loved learning something new. While we were waiting for our paintings to dry we went walking in downtown Pasadena. Then we went to luch at a vietnamese sandwich shop. I don't recomend going in there unless you either speak the languae or bring a translator. The food was good. Thier food is surprisingly very sweet.

I would post a picture of painting but it's stillnot dry yet.