by Barbara Downs | Jun 27, 2010
I readily admit I’m a pushover for color. This pink hasn’t been seen in these pieces so far. It’s Dianthus Pink from R&F Paints. I already regularly use it in oil-paint-stick form, but I just bought the encaustic paint version for the first time....
by Barbara Downs | Jun 7, 2010
I’m going to be cantankerous and withhold The Daily Bird today so that I can write about painting instead. And don’t think I don’t have the Daily Bird done. Here’s a thumbnail, with a larger image coming tomorrow. I’m spending...
by Barbara Downs | Jun 1, 2010
People ask, so here it is: a short explanation of encaustic… Encaustic has been around for centuries, and, with proper care, is considered to be one of the most stable mediums. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians used encaustic to waterproof and decorate their...
by Barbara Downs | May 27, 2010
A friend asked why I photograph the Daily Bird panels on an angle. Three reasons: The diamond-shaped photos look better on my blog page. Encaustic is difficult to photograph. These represent the pieces better than if I shoot them straight-on. I’ll leave that to...
by Barbara Downs | May 20, 2010
Today was primary-color day. Red-Yellow-Blue. It’s probably obvious that I love color, but I feel the urge to go wild with color with these small encaustic pieces. There’s no risk…I can easily scrape the wax off if it just doesn’t work. And...
by Barbara Downs | May 17, 2010
Prepping my 50 panels for encaustic takes some time: Cut cabinet-grade birch plywood into 6″x6″ panels; Sand lightly as needed; Tape edges to prevent glue from dripping (encaustic doesn’t like glue); Glue the photos; weight them overnight; Remove...
