Saturday, January 26, 2008

Bill's turntable support

This is a photo description of Bill's nifty device.











Encaustic with collage - 24 January 2008

Hello. I thought you might like to see the results of your efforts published -

Alix:

Caron:

Jane:

Kristine:

Monday, January 21, 2008

Class update for January 24 -

Hello all. I am back safe and sound with boxes for Caron and Bill. I'll bring them Thursday. Hope your trip was good also Alix.

MOUNTED PRINT
A reminder of what to bring besides the usual bits and pieces:
- your prints or whatever, trimmed to 1/4" (or so) larger than the panel on all sides
- your panels (2 painted with white acrylic - or not if you prefer))
- PVA or the gel medium on the materials list, if you have it

Also, if you have, please bring:
- newspapers. This is so you can create a bit of a cushion on which to place your print once it has been adhered to the panel. A couple of sections per panel should be enough.
- wax paper or freezer paper to place between the print and the newspaper
- a brayer or squeegee. I'll bring several. We can share this item.

We'll lay the mounted print face down on the pile of newspapers and set a weight on top of it. We'll do this at the beginning of the class. It should be quite well adhered by the time you leave. I wouldn't call it dry until the next day.

COLLAGE
You will need a third panel for the collage. This can be one you have already begun or a new one. If it's a new one you will have to build up some wax layers. You can collage almost anything in wax. If the inclusions are delicate and flammable we'll mount them with cold wax (Dorland's) then coat with encaustic and torch. Inclusions can be 3D or 2D. The thicker they are, the more wax you will have to build up to include them.

be well, see you all Thursday :-)

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Optional bit to bring for Thurday, 17th January

Two things - one is, if you can easily bring an additional piece of panel to paint with white acrylic, please do so. I'll bring some extra pieces (they will be regular half inch plywood, not the pretty birch plywood) if you want to use them. Please make sure they are 12"x12" or smaller. We're going to prepare two pieces of panel for adhering paper. There are two processes I want to show you.

The second thing is, if anyone has photos they think would benefit this class, please email them to me and I'll post them on this blog. Just send them to my email address in jpg format, 72dpi. At this point, I think that's to you Bill :-)

Saturday, January 12, 2008

recommended encaustic information from R&F

Good morning everyone. This information was sent to me in a "Google Alert" for the word "encaustic". Thought you might find it useful.

While you're checking out links, here is the link to the Second Annual Encaustic Conference I mentioned.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Painting the encaustic way

This is a photographic, informational and communication blog for Encaustic Painting at the Birmingham/Bloomfield Art Center in Birmingham, Michigan, January 2008.

So, hello Alix, Kristine, Bill, Jane and Caron. I'm thinking of this as a way we can communicate. You can also email or call me. I'll check it once or twice a day and respond to any questions. Anyone of you (or anyone at all) can respond also.

Some notes about making medium -
- it will take about 4 hours
-set the electric skillet to warm or lowest setting
- put in the Damar crystals in a 1:8 ratio - Damar:beeswax - the 4 ounces of Damar to the 2 bricks of beeswax
- put the beeswax in on top of the Damar
- put the lid on, slightly ajar, and let it melt.
Check it now and then to see how it's coming. Pay attention to the odor. It should smell like beeswax. If it smells obnoxious, turn it off.
After awhile - maybe 3 hours - the wax will be melted but the Damar may still be tarry. You can stir it around to spread out the Damar or just put the lid back on and wait longer.
If you have to interrupt this process, no problem. Turn it off then back on later.

What to bring next Thursday, the 17th besides your normal encaustic bits:
- your panel to paint white. It will have your print or painting or blank paper applied to it the following week.
- your panel you painted yesterday. You may scrape the wax off and experiment again or continue with what you have begun.
- either your encaustic medium already melted and formed or your beeswax and Damar crystals and a container to melt the wax in
- torch
- pigments in oil paint, dry pigments or encaustic stick or the other forms we mentioned
- paper for monoprints. I would suggest about 25 sheets of some inexpensive paper. I'll bring some mylar and examples of my monoprints on mylar. There are examples of a few of these on my regular blog, Bonzo Chronicles about half way down the page.

Check this blog closer to next Thursday. I may add more to your "bring" list.