The Making of an Encaustic Monotype

Happy Friday! Since my return from the Southwest and Paula Roland’s Encaustic Monotypes Workshop this fall, I have been experimenting with my encaustic monotype process and have really been loving it. I thought it would be fun to give you peek into what I have been doing and show you the making of my newest piece, "Into the Woods."

Into the Woods - Encaustic Monotype

Encaustic monotypes require me to surrender, use tools that often result in unpredictable outcomes, and force me to stretch and grow as an artist. This past week has been cold in Philadelphia, but I have used my hotboxes to keep me warm in the studio as I work.

A bit about the process... Encaustic monotypes are prints made from wax paintings transferred onto paper.

The painting is created using solid pigmented wax sticks, brushes, sponges, and other tools on the surface of a heated metal plate, a hotbox.

The heat from the hotbox allows the artist to manipulate the paint with her tools and refine her painting before transferring it to paper.

The use of pigmented wax paint allows the artist to build layers of texture into her painting.

And repeating the process merges multiple layers of rich color and texture creating a complex, one-of-a-kind painting.

I hope you have enjoyed this little peek into my studio! I look forward to sharing more of my monotypes in the coming weeks and months.