Encaustic

by Birgit Edblom

Use wax blocks and a hot iron to create beautiful backgrounds.

Supplies

Glossy paper or special paper for Encaustic

Wax Blocks

Stamps

Scissors

Tissues

Iron - craft or encaustic iron, or any iron without steam holes

Step-by-Step

Step 1

Set the iron on low temperature.

Optional:
Stamp image with Stazon™.
Step 2

When the iron is warm, turn it over and coat the surface with wax in the colors you want to use.
Step 3

Place the iron on the paper and move it around lightly. Explore different movements and lifts. Don´t worry about the result, you can go over it as many times as you want. When you are satisfied with the result, clean the iron on some scrap paper.
Step 4

Choose some other colors and move the iron over the paper in both directions without lifting it till you´re satisfied with the result.
Step 5

Wipe the painting with a tissue to make it shiny.
Step 6

Select the part of the painting you like and cut it out. The rest can be used for another project.
Step 7

Finish your card.

Video!

Variations

Printed background
Try the technique on glossy magazine pages for a different look.
Stamp it!
Stamp images with Stazon or Jet Black Archival ink on your finished background.

Or for more advanced Encaustic painting...create your background, stamp your image and then cover it with clear wax. Next color your image with wax and stylus tool.

Don't have any Encaustic Wax yet?
Try our Melted Crayon Background tutorial.

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Encaustic. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!

***Please note - Internet Explorer/Edge is not a supported browser, and will not allow you to see the videos. Please use Chrome, Firefox or Safari to view our tutorial videos.

Questions and Comments

We'd love to get your feedback or questions. Leave your comment below.

Love the technique. Can't wait to try it with real wax. Thanks for sharing this cool technique.

Peggy Elms | Wed May 19, 2010 at 5:22 PM

Finally!!! The REAL reason for me having an iron

Hee! Hee! This is such an amazing technique & the results are fantastic! TFS!

Karli | Wed May 19, 2010 at 8:01 PM

Birgit this is amazing! What wonderful technique and results, this is the first time I've seen this. Thanks for the great tutorial!

Anne Harada | Thu May 20, 2010 at 12:22 PM

Birgit, your creations are absolutely beautiful! What a fantastic introduction to an incredible technique. Your video tutorial was great.

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Valli | Thu May 20, 2010 at 4:28 PM

Thanks, Birgit. I love experimenting , will try plain old paraffin too, which might make an interesting cloudy sky.

Bahb | Fri May 21, 2010 at 10:04 AM

This is a totally new technique for me. WOW! I am in awe of what can be done with this. BEAUTIFUL work. Thank you so much for taking the time to document the process and for sharing it with all of us. Pat
Note to Constance - it won't take too long to wonder how you ever had time to work! LOL!

Georgia Babydoll | Fri May 21, 2010 at 3:19 PM

Love the technique and wonder where to get the wax and paper. Will photo paper work as well?

carole | Wed May 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM

WOW! That is art! Never seen anything like it before. Thanks for sharing. We will have to give it a try.

Lizette | Wed Sep 8, 2010 at 6:36 AM

I love your work and the Encaustic waxing.
I have such a problem in making mountains.
Can U help with a hint?
Barbara Jardine

Barbara Jardine | Wed Sep 8, 2010 at 8:53 AM

Hi,
What did you use for the wax? I have beeswax at home but nothing to color the wax with. Any ideas?
Thanks.

bonnie | Mon Sep 13, 2010 at 2:19 PM

If working with rubber stamps, as stated, you can use Stazon, Archival or Memento inks, but you must put a layer of clear wax onto the iron before the colours as some of the colours (white in particular) are opaque and you'll lose the image if you don't use a clear wax. If you've run out, a plain candle works just as well.
I enjoy the tutorials very much.

janet | Wed Jul 20, 2016 at 8:15 AM

Here is a tip that Janet left as feedback: "If you want to stamp first (with permanent ink) and use crayon/wax over the image but haven't got a clear crayon (which you need to use with the color so the wax is translucent), use a wax candle on the iron first, then wax or crayon, and you can get lovely colored backgrounds. Solid stamps work best." That made me wonder if you could, in a pinch, substitute colorless Chapstick wax?? It might also lend fragrance to your work.

Morrisa Heintz | Wed Aug 31, 2016 at 11:59 AM

I just started encaustic painting (been an artist for years in other mediums) and have done a bunch of cards and although I can mount them on plywood, from what I've read and I'm hoping someone can confirm this, it should be OK to offer them for sale matted and people can frame them as long as the frame doesn't touch the wax. I've also read that with the wax so thin on cards that it really wouldn't hurt them to be framed. I just want to be sure. I'm using cradled and floater frames for larger work. Thanks for any help. Thanks for any help.

Jean Fitzgerald | Wed Mar 8, 2017 at 5:39 PM

Page 2 of 2 pages < 1 2

Encaustic

by Birgit Edblom

Supplies

Step-by-Step

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Video!

Variations

Your Turn

Questions and Comments

The Author

Print This Tutorial

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