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Encaustics
- Statement
Encaustic
is an ancient painting method that was practiced by the Greeks
as far back as the 5th century B.C. Most likely, the best
known encaustic works are the Fayum funeral portraits that
were painted in Egypt by Greek painters in the 1st and 2nd
centuries A.D. Following the decline of the Roman Empire,
encaustic use disappeared.
Although
there was some interest again in Encaustic technique in the
18th and 19th centuries, it has remained an obscure art form.
Due to the availability of electrical heating implements and
tools in the 20th century, it is now easier to use and more
accessible than in ancient times. Therefore, there has been
a growing number of artists today who are using encaustic
and discovering it's unique quality and the wide range of
possibilities it offers.
Encaustic
is a beeswax paint composed of wax, resin and pigment. "Encaustic"
derives from the Greek word "enkaustikos" which
means to "burn in." The encaustic paint is melted
on a hot palette and then can be applied while still molten
to any ground or surface including wood and plaster. Traditionally
a heat source is passed close to the surface of a piece in
process or finished - to "burn in" the colors fusing
and bonding them; thus the name encaustic.
It is
one of the most durable artists' paints. Since encaustic is
impervious
to moisture, it will not deteriorate, nor will it yellow or
darken.
Notes derived from R&F Encaustics pamphlet
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