What is photo encaustic?
Encaustic is a beeswax-based medium developed by the Greeks over 2,000 years ago. The Greek word “enkaustikos” means “to heat” or “to burn.” Wax layers are fused with heat to bond them together. Simply put, photo encaustic is the term used to describe a photographic image treated with wax. Typically, and in my kit, the wax of choice is a mixture of beeswax and damar resin.
Why has photo encaustic become so popular?
Encaustic painting has long been in the domain of the visual artist, to wit, Tony Scherman and Jasper Johns to name just two of many. But there is a Renaissance under foot in the world of photography and mixed media explorations. Photographs provide the perfect element for further enrichment via wax due to its alluring luminosity, whether the image remains the subject or becomes part of a greater whole. You may not be able to draw, but as a photographer you are an artist, and with photo in hand you can enter the exciting world of mixed media…incorporating wax, pigment, and a wide variety of collage elements.
What are the limitations?
With your imagination as your guide, the possibilities are endless. No matter what your creative style is, you’ll find further expression via encaustic. That being said, unlike photography, perfection and control in photo encaustic are pretty much impossible. This is a process that is most satisfying if you can allow for unexpected yet happy accidents. Imperfection has an elegance that can be characterized by the term “wabi-sabi,” the Japanese art of finding beauty in the imperfect. Photo encaustic embraces wabi-sabi, and the push-pull of control and chaos. Relax and have fun, and always remember…if you don’t like what you’ve done, you can melt it and start over!!