Singular Encaustic Panel with a Coffee Infusion

From Encaustic Painting Techniques: The Whole Ball of Wax by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch

(This tutorial was previously published in the book Encaustic Painting Techniques: The Whole Ball of Wax by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, copyright 2013; republished here courtesy of CreateMixedMedia.com.)

Using an 8″ × 8″ × 2″ (20cm × 20cm × 5cm) Claybord, I created this piece by combining some of my favorite techniques: sketching on Japanese silk tissue, oil glazing, incising, texturing and coffee ground inclusion. I love how the end result shows off the unique properties of the wax.

Materials

8″ × 8″ × 2″ (20cm × 20cm × 5cm) Claybord
Medium
Heat gun or other fusing tool
Paintbrush
Japanese silk tissue
Oil paint or oil paint stick
Fine art marker
Coffee grounds
Incising tools
Metal spoon
Paper towels
Razor blade
Rubber gloves
Linseed oil (optional)

Step 1 Create sketch

1. Create a small doodle or drawing on a square of Japanese silk tissue paper. I am using a permanent marker, but you can use any art medium you choose.

Step 2 Add medium, fuse and incise

2. Brush one layer of medium over the surface to prime it, and fuse it. Let it cool. Set the drawing on a cool, primed board to establish its placement. Then add incising lines around the edges by tracing around the bowl of a spoon.

Step 3 Add oil paint

3. Remove the tissue paper drawing from the board. Squeeze out a small amount of oil paint and, wearing gloves, work it into the incised areas.

Step 4 Troubleshoot any oil stains

4. Rub off excess oil. If oil remains on the wax, use a bit of linseed oil to take it off, all the way back to just the incised lines. (Make certain you remove all the oil afterward, or it will cause the next layer of wax to resist adhesion.)

Step 5 Adhere drawing

5. Use clear medium to adhere the tissue drawing in the position you determined in step 2.

Step 6 Layer medium and fuse

6. Brush one layer over the tissue and re-fuse. Then build up several layers of medium on the board, working around the tissue to frame it in with a thicker surrounding area of medium. Re-fuse between the layers.