Wax painting: encaustic and other techniques of working with wax. Wax painting. Encaustic. Master class

Encaustic Encaustic

(Greek enkaustiki, from enkaio - I burn, I burn out), wax painting performed in a hot way - with molten paints.

(Source: Popular art encyclopedia." Ed. Polevoy V.M.; M.: Publishing house " Soviet encyclopedia", 1986.)

(from Greek enkáiō - I burn), wax painting technique. The binder for paint pigments is wax. Wax paints were known back in Ancient Egypt, but encaustic painting received widespread use and development in Greco-Roman art, especially from the 5th century. BC e. Most famous works made using this technique are Fayum portraits.

Melted paints were applied to the board with a brush or a cestrum - a metal rod with a spatula at the end. The wax quickly hardened, forming an uneven surface, which enhanced the impression of three-dimensionality of the image. Sometimes, when depicting eyelashes or to deepen the shadow, deep grooves were made with the edge of the cestra. Encaustic works are characterized by a special texture of writing. In some Fayum portraits, meticulous detailing of the face is combined with a broader painterly style in depicting clothing, painted with more fluid strokes. The authors of other works resorted to melting paints to create a smooth, as if varnished surface (at some distance from the portrait they kept a brazier with hot coals, from which the paints heated up and fused into a single mass).
The Hellenistic encaustic technique was also used in early examples icon painting, giving way later to tempera painting.

(Source: “Art. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Edited by Prof. Gorkin A.P.; M.: Rosman; 2007.)

See what "Encaustic" is in other dictionaries:

- (Greek). The ancients had the art of covering letter boards with melted wax, also a type of painting with colored wax. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. ENCAUSTIC painting with paints diluted with wax.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

encaustic- and, f. peinture à l encaustique. Painting done with heated wax paints. encaustic technique. Masters of encaustic painting. Application of encaustic. BAS 1. Ordered to paint en caustique paintings for the Tsarskoye Selo Red Cabinet.… … Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (Greek enkaustike, from enkaio I burn, I burn out), wax painting performed in a hot way with molten paints... Modern encyclopedia

- (from the Greek enkaio I burn out) wax painting done in a hot way using molten paints... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Noun, number of synonyms: 1 painting (41) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Dictionary of synonyms

- (enkaustikh) the ancient Greeks and Romans used wax paints to paint. What exactly was the technique of this now lost method remains unclear. Based on the testimony of Pliny the Younger (Histor. natnr., XXXV, 11, 39 and 41) and... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Encaustic- (Greek enkaustike, from enkaio I burn, I burn out), wax painting performed hotly with molten paints. ... Illustrated encyclopedic dictionary

- (from ancient Greek ἐγκαυστική [art] of burning) a painting technique in which the binder of paint is wax. Painting is done with melted paints (hence the name). A type of encaustic is wax... ... Wikipedia

Encaustic- (Greek enkaustike, from enkaio burn) painting with wax paints, where wax is used as a paint binder. Painting can be done using the hot method, in which the encaust artist writes with molten wax paints, and they... Architectural Dictionary

- (from the Greek enkáiō I burn), wax painting performed using a hot method with molten paints. * * * ENCAUSTIC ENCAUSTIC (from the Greek enkaio I burn out), wax painting done using the hot method with molten paints... Encyclopedic Dictionary

The modern world never ceases to amaze us with new types of art and creativity in which anyone can realize themselves. But it also happens that many types of art that have become popular and accessible only today are experiencing their rebirth. One of these types of creativity is encaustic - a painting technique, which will be discussed in my article.

Encaustic (from the Greek “to burn”) is an ancient technique of creating paintings using melted colored wax. This art originated more than 2,500 years ago and was known to the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.

Wax paintings have earned a reputation for their longevity, with some lasting over two millennia! There are many portraits made in wax on wood in museums around the world. The most famous examples of ancient encaustic painting are the so-called “Fayum portraits” - posthumous paintings of the deceased. They got their name from the Fayum oasis in Egypt, where they were first found and described in 1887 by a British expedition. Scientists were amazed that over the centuries they had not faded or cracked. They are also the first true "portraits" in history.

Many early Christian icons created using this technique still retain their brightness. One example is the image of Christ Pantocrator, which is currently in the Sinai monastery.

Encaustic painting is so fun and exciting that you get used to it very quickly and for a long time. It does not require the ability to draw, but imagination, a sense of color and creativity will definitely be needed. Also paper or cardboard, wax crayons and iron. Exactly the iron! You don't need brushes and pencils - they will be replaced by a small iron, with which you will melt colored wax and apply paper. Encaustic masterpieces are simple to create: just take desired color wax pencil (you can use two or three colors at once), apply it to a warm, slightly heated iron, and then run it over the surface of the paper. Depending on what needs to be depicted, we draw using the entire surface of the sole of the iron or just the edge. For example, you can draw leaves and grass with the tip of an iron.

The effect exceeds all expectations! Having mastered simple techniques, you will be able to create drawings of incredible beauty: bizarre abstractions and mesmerizing landscapes. Using this method, you can make cards and souvenirs that will delight you and your loved ones.

Encaustic painting is a very ancient and at the same time simple painting technique that allows everyone to create stunning paintings with unusual effects. Anyone can do this, the main thing is to get down to business and you will get amazing, unique paintings that you can create in a matter of minutes, and for this you don’t have to know how to draw! All it takes is a little effort and perseverance! One application and as a result, moments remain in bright wax on the cardboard. For centuries. After all, wax paints do not fade over time and will last for many years.

And today, on the advice of our Lyudochka Martynova (thank you very much, dear!) I’ll tell you about the drawing technique, which lately has become popular among our and foreign craftswomen - encaustic!
(If you have ideas for the “A Little Bit of Everything” section or ready-made material for it, write to us!)

In the list of women's hobbies, this very encaustic painting takes pride of place - a type of painting that was used in Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece.

Encaustic (from ancient Greek - burning) is a painting technique in which wax is the binder of paint. Painting is done with melted paints.

The history of encaustic painting or the art of wax painting, as we have already said, has its roots in ancient times. The first works of art created in this way date back to the era Ancient Rome, but the technology of drawing with hot wax itself remained a sealed secret for a long time. A type of encaustic painting is wax tempera, characterized by its brightness and richness of colors. Many early Christian icons were painted using this technique.

The first examples of encaustic painting were discovered in Egypt, in the Fayum oasis (“Fayum portraits”). These were posthumous picturesque images of the deceased. The encaustic technique was later used by the Greeks to create early icons. The most striking iconographic example of the encaustic technique is considered to be the image of Christ Pantocrator (6th century), located in the Sinai Monastery (below left).

First attempts to revive ancient art were completed in the middle of the 18th century, and the middle of the 20th century saw the third wave of popularity of encaustic painting. However, she is not very widely known in creative circles.

In ancient times, people used colored wax and polished wooden planks as a basis. Today everything is much simpler. Ordinary glossy cardboard is used as a canvas, and instead of painted wax, wax pencils (or crayons), which can easily be purchased at an office supply store, are perfect.

As for the brush itself, then, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, you will need an iron. Yes, the most ordinary iron with a smooth sole. Every housewife now has such a tool in her bins. Of course, for modern encaustic techniques, a special professional iron has already been invented, but it is quite expensive and not so easy to get.

By the way, today this art is so popular that stores even sell special kits for creating encaustic paintings at home.

What is the drawing technique?

At first glance, painting a picture using an iron may seem like a strange and impossible task. However, in reality everything is much simpler and no more complicated than ordinary drawing.

In the encaustic painting technique, the iron acts as a brush. It must be heated to the melting temperature of the wax. It’s not difficult to determine this; just take a pencil and touch it to the sole of the iron. The chalk should flow smoothly over the hot surface. Do not allow the wax to “boil.” As soon as the temperature regime is set, you can safely begin creating a masterpiece.

The wax of the desired color melts on the heated sole of the iron and is applied with light movements onto the glossy cardboard. You can apply several colors of wax crayons to the sole of the iron; they do not mix, but very interesting transitions are obtained. The wax is transferred to the cardboard by stroking or applying movements. Small details are drawn with the tip of the iron, and the veins are created by an impression (the iron is applied to the cardboard and lifted). The edge of the iron is used to draw grass, bushes, and trees.

Mastering the secrets of encaustic painting is quite simple; you don’t have to be an artist, and the beauty of this activity is that you can create either alone or together with your child. Moreover, age special significance does not have. So, for example, if a child is between 2 and 4 years old, then he can look for and give a pencil of the desired color. This way, mom will calmly draw, and her baby will study colors and shades. If the child is already older, then you can safely connect him directly to the process, having first explained all the safety rules (after all, the iron is hot).

The appeal of encaustic.

The encaustic painting technique has many positive aspects. First of all, this is an excellent way to calm down, a kind of antidepressant, just like any other handicraft. Drawing will help you distract yourself and leave all your worries on cardboard.

Second the positive side This wonderful hobby is the availability of materials. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on purchasing glossy cardboard and wax pencils, and you can buy them at your nearest stationery store. There is no need to buy a special iron; old Soviet-made equipment will do just fine. If this is not the case, then you can purchase a small travel-type iron. It is fundamentally important here that the sole is smooth, that is, without a steaming function.

The third advantage of encaustic painting is cleanliness and order. After it, you don’t need to scrub the paint off the walls and floor, you don’t need to run to the bathroom and wash your hands. The wax does not splash around, does not spoil the manicure, and even if a drop falls on the surface of the table, it quickly cools down, turns into a solid state, and can be easily removed like a speck.

And one more plus for an exciting hobby. You don't need to spend a lot of time creating a masterpiece. One painting will take only 10 to 30 minutes. In addition, you can turn your hobby into an additional source of income, so to speak, combining business with pleasure. Why not?

from Greek enkaio – burn), wax painting technique. The binder for paint pigments is wax. Wax paints were known back in Ancient Egypt, but encaustic painting was widely used and developed in Greco-Roman art, especially from the 5th century. BC e. The most famous works made in this technique are Fayum portraits.

Melted paints were applied to the board with a brush or a cestrum - a metal rod with a spatula at the end. The wax quickly hardened, forming an uneven surface, which enhanced the impression of three-dimensionality of the image. Sometimes, when depicting eyelashes or to deepen the shadow, deep grooves were made with the edge of the cestra. Encaustic works are characterized by a special texture of writing. In some Fayum portraits, meticulous detailing of the face is combined with a broader painterly manner in depicting clothing, painted with more fluid strokes. The authors of other works resorted to melting paints to create a smooth, as if varnished surface (at some distance from the portrait they kept a brazier with hot coals, from which the paints heated up and fused into a single mass).

The Hellenistic technique of encaustic painting was also used in early examples of icon painting, later giving way to tempera painting.

Encaustic painting as a painting technique appeared several centuries ago. At that time, artists and icon painters used wax painting techniques to create bright paintings with a three-dimensional image effect.

Previously, the encaustic technique was kept strictly secret and passed on by artists from generation to generation. Now this view fine arts has become widespread due to its ease of execution, and is popular among novice artists.

Preparing for work

Beginning artists really like encaustic painting because for this type applied arts You don’t need to know painting techniques at all!

If you can't create clear pictures of landscapes or still lifes, but you want to learn how to draw, try writing abstract paintings, reflecting your mood during the creative process.

Materials

Encaustic painting requires the presence of the main material for working on a painting - artistic wax, which is specially saturated with color pigments. Wax bars can be purchased at specialized art supply stores.

If you cannot buy or order wax, you can use wax pencils and crayons for drawing, which are sold at any office supply store.

Among auxiliary items for encaustic painting the following can be distinguished:

• drawing tablets - sheets of thick glossy cardboard;

• polishing cloth;

• table lining - so as not to dirty the space around you while working.

Despite the fact that encaustic painting involves the effect of a three-dimensional image, after drying the painting should be easily polished with a cloth.

The lining must be larger in area than the working area, so as not to stain everything around with viscous wax. Change the lining every time it gets dirty.

Tools

You will also need tools for drawing a picture - you can purchase a specialized iron for encaustic painting in craft stores. Unfortunately, the device is quite expensive. But you can replace it with a regular household iron.

The main thing is that it has the following characteristics: temperature regulator, small size - it will be inconvenient to draw with a large iron, sole without holes.

Ideally, the iron should have a removable handle so that it can be positioned with the heating surface facing up, thus creating an area for melting materials. Stock up on napkins or toilet paper to clean the soleplate of your iron each time before melting a new color.

Encaustic painting can also be done with a hairdryer - it is used with small-volume materials, such as wax pencils. The main thing is that it, like the iron, has a function for changing the temperature.

Also, professional encaustic painting requires the presence of a special heating rod - cauterium - with which you can create complex patterns and draw small details.

The cautery is sold in a set with attachments of various shapes and thicknesses for more comfortable work.

Drawing techniques

Encaustic art is based on several techniques and techniques, once mastered, you will be able to create your own works of art.

If you are trying your hand at encaustic art for the first time, start working out artistic techniques using an iron. Then it will be easier for you to work with cautery later.

Smoothing

Encaustic painting is impossible without this technique, on the basis of which all the others were formed. Turn the iron upside down and melt some wax in the color you want. Adjust the temperature of the device so that the wax melts well and floats slightly, but does not spread.

Now turn the iron over, sole side down, and slowly run the colored wax across the paper, leaving an even streak of color. Do not press too hard on the paper to avoid burning it.

Imprint

Encaustic painting using the imprint technique allows you to create interesting veins in the painting.

Immediately after applying paint to the cardboard, place the iron on the surface and immediately lift it up carefully without fidgeting from side to side.

Edge work

Using the edge of the iron, you can draw thin long lines. Encaustic in this technique is often used to paint grass and flowers.

Apply wax to the cardboard using the smoothing technique. Now bring the iron to the paint, placed on its edge, like the tip of a skate, and draw a line. Depending on the force of pressure, you can create lines of different thickness and length.

Nose work

The sharp thin nose of the iron will help you draw small details using the encaustic technique.

Simply dip it in pre-melted wax and mark the design on the cardboard.

Encaustic: painting workshop

This master class can be performed even by a beginner who does not have special colored wax and a small, convenient iron. You will need glue, a white sheet of thick paper or cardboard, wax crayons of all colors of the rainbow, and a hair dryer with temperature control.

Thus, encaustic painting gives you the opportunity to create a rainbow painting for a child's room or classroom at school.

• Prepare pencils in the colors you need. Make sure they are all the right size. Trim pieces that are too long if necessary.

• Lubricate the top edge of the sheet with glue and glue the pencils, forming a kind of fence. You don't need to remove the labels from the pencils - they will add color to the picture.

• Wait a couple of hours for the glue to dry. Now the encaustic begins: set the hair dryer to the highest temperature setting and start heating the tips of the pencils pointing down.

• To get interesting patterns, place the sheet vertically, change its angle and turn it from side to side.

• Leave the painting horizontally until completely dry.

Now you can admire the finished work of art! To create a more complex interesting drawing, check out the following video tutorial.

Encaustic can also be used for painting greeting card for your birthday. And if you succeeded big picture, place it in a frame made using scrapbooking technique and hang it in a visible place.