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Gold Judith original encaustic painting with gold leaf

Gold Judith original encaustic painting with gold leaf

Description

i've moved into the world of painting on wood with wax and oil paints. this is one of those rare occurrences when i actually use gold leaf with these mediums. and i must say, the result is wonderful. the painting is reproduction of a gustav klimt original. i used only a handful of colors, so as to keep with a monochromatic scheme and not detract from both the beautiful natural grain in the wood or the luminous quality of the gold leaf.

i am a huge fan of the work of gustav klimt. here is an artist who mastered realism then created a world of his own. this is another incarnation of his "judith of holofernes" series [which he himself redid on a couple of occasions]

medium: pencil, oil paint, wax, and gold leaf on wood
size: 12 inches x 12 inches

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my encaustic process:

wood panel was first sketched out then treated with cold wax to create a glowing effect to the grain and also provide a surface to which the oils would adhere without bleeding with the natural grain of the wood. the wax is heated to a smooth consistency, and is absorbed into the wood. after curing, i begin layering on the oil paint. not only the benefits listed above occur, but the wax also provides a luminous quality to each piece, allowing light to become trapped and refracted in such a way that makes the painting seem to "float". nothing i have tried in any other medium has this sort of effect. this is a different approach to working in wax than the traditional encaustic method [where pigment is used mixed with wax and applied hot].

additional benefits of wax paintings is that they require no varnish, and over time, as the wax and pigments harden, it can be buffed to a high sheen. care is to be taken not to scratch the surface or in keeping the painting in a high heat area.

special care is to be taken as to not scratch the surface of the painting, though over time, the surface itself will harden with age, but retaining the beauty of a fresh piece. obviously, it's not advisable to have your painting stored or placed in a high heat environment.

no varnish or sealant is required with an encaustic painting. by using a soft cloth, you can "polish" the painting to a high sheen, going with the grain is highly recommended.

for more examples of my encaustic works, visit my gallery wing at http://six06.com/blog/art/encaustic/.

Added on Oct 08, 2009