a bit of messy play with wax encaustic

Siri's reply

I have a cold.

It is affecting me more than I care to say. I have become a master of sloth.

It is also affecting Siri.

I tried to ask it about local exhibitions that might brighten my mood. The answer above sums it up.

Yesterday I decided I was improved enough to see the Rachel Whiteread exhibition at Tate Britain. I set off in the drizzle, got as far as my local shops and changed my mind. Back home I went, and settled into a mindless evening of TV. The icing on the cake being 'Bad Habits', about five selfie, clothing, make -up and sex-mad girls being sent to a convent for 4 weeks to contemplate their lifestyles. This after an hour of Gordon Ramsey swearing continuously as he investigated the cocaine trade. All very depressing viewing.

And what has happened to Gordon's body? Weird.

No more TV for me. I have ordered some good books to read before I lose the will to live.



My other half (OH) is away for a week. Swanning around in Quebec. He calls it work...

It's probably a good thing, as the house has become a temporary studio, and he is avoiding my germs.

I have been experimenting with encaustic ( wax ).

I can't remember why this latest fad started. I think I am still doing an MA in my head, and 'experimentation' is one of the categories that I would have been marked on. While OH is away.....

If you want to learn more, then there are a lot of very good videos.

Here is one that I enjoyed.

Of course there is new stuff that I needed for this. Some brushes and a heat gun.

brushes

a heat gun

Two days and a lot of mess later I had not achieved much that could be described as art. Getting a smooth wax surface over my photograph is yet to be achieved, and I am not sure that it gives the look that I was hoping for. Choosing the right image is probably key. The possibilities for collage are exciting too.

Melting the wax without igniting it was a worry. I had not invested in an electric 'hot plate' as I suspected that this might be a one horse wonder.

a messy business - encaustic wax on a wood panel

encaustic wax over Kozo paper

I tried some Modgepodge instead.

This is acrylic based, and doesnt involve the risk of setting fire to one's kitchen. 

I was a bit happier with this, mainly becasue I realised that the paint used to coat my front door this week was the perfect colour to paint on the sides of the frame.

OH will probably not like either.....

So after a lot of tests, you can see that I have not quite mastered the art of the perfect finish.

But it gave me something to do while I sniffled and spluttered around the house.

And not a selfie in sight.