Encaustic Portrait: J Mitchell Bailey

I just finished this little encaustic, oil and graphite portrait.

(Jesse) Mitchell Bailey, 1918-1945

10" x 10" Encaustic, Oil and Graphite on Board

Detail of Mitchell's face.

This was a very difficult portrait to paint because:

#1 My reference material was poor

#2 The finished head is extremely small (1.75 inches high)

#3 I used encaustic paints and since I'm a beginner in this medium, my skill level is not up to snuff - yet.

Now, in the "DO AS I SAY BUT NOT AS I DO" Department....

I agreed to this job for no good reason.

It came with awful photo references (as you can see from the faded 70+ year old snapshots below). But merely because I had a beloved aunt named Jessie Mitchell I grabbed the job...go figure.

I was totally prepared to not have the client like it - but I wanted to paint it anyhow.

Mitchell died tragically at the age of 27. He had a strong, angular and exceptionally handsome face. He had been an oarsman at Yale and stayed in shape.

In my research I found an old magazine cover with a 1908 Leyendecker illustration of a Harvard Oarsman and leaned heavily on that as a basic body model. (So noted on the back of the painting.)

Per usual, I made his head too small so he would appear more "commanding and in charge." Read more about why I mess with reality both here and here.

Here is the entire painting without the frame (pictured above). You can see that I followed the Red, Yellow, Blue, Black and White Rule.

The overall "softness" of this portrait is characteristic of the way I am currently using my encaustic paint.

Some Nerdy Technical Details:

For starters, I've cranked up the heat on my encaustics and am working at 250-275 degrees F these days. Maybe hotter if I dare...

I did a little graphite drawing of that face (backwards) on tracing paper (I made-up shadows & added an ear) and transferred that, thus destroying the paper and embedding just the graphite into the first layers of encaustic.

Then I used a brush with powdered graphite to finish that face drawing in wax before I sealed it with clear medium. The face was too small to paint with a brush accurately but using a soft graphite pencil made it easy.

Above is an extreme blown up detail and hopefully you can see that the grey of the graphite represents the cool halftone. Of course, any student of mine knows that halftones are always cool, eh?

Hence my use of a graphite pencil to embed this drawing.

What I love about encaustic paint is that it is such an "immediate" medium. For example, if you hesitate a wee bit too long, the melted pigmented wax on the brush will harden and that brush will will stick to the surface and make an awful mess. Naturally I speak from painful personal experience. :o)

The rest of the painting is my usual layered mix of encaustic and oils.

I am only beginning to explore what this unique encaustic medium offers.

"Engrave It!" of Keene, NH supplied (they ship) the 1/2" high brass nameplate for the frame because I simply couldn't handle lettering that small in this medium.

Fine Art Auction - In Peterborough, NH

A Fayum Portrait to be sold at auction. Until now, I've only seen this at the Met. Wow!

This auction is soooo close to home for me...I can't wait to see it (and see who buys it).

Item # 94A

Sarcophagus Encaustic Painting of Fayum, painting on gesso on wood panel. Appears to be from the Roman 1st century A.D., period from Egypt . These are known as "Fayum," portraits of a deceased upper class person. Estimate $30,000-50,000

The Cobbs Auctioneers

Important Antique Estate Auction Saturday July 11th at 10am

At Historic Noone Falls Mill, 50 Jaffrey Road, Peterborough, NH

And there's lots more...Franz Klein, Alexander Calder, Joshua Reynolds....check 'em out:

Item #211

Early 19th Century, Primitive Painting of A Young Boy. Estimate $4,500-,6,500

Item #110

Philip Russell Goodwin, 1882-1935. A previously unknown painting. Estimate $80,000-$120,000

Item #59

Rufus Porter, 1792-1884, Unknown husband and wife. Estimate $4,000-7,000

Item #50

Joshua Reynolds, 1723-1792. Unknown sitter. Estimate $4,000-7,000

Encaustic Conference, June 5-7, 2009

The Third Annual International Encaustic Conference drew over 200 artists from all over the world.

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." (George Carlin)

The immediacy and speed of this medium takes my breath away. Instead of months - I can paint an entire painting in just one day using encaustics!

"Peter and the Pooch" by Karin Wells

8" x 10" encaustic portrait on board

Encaustics are nice mini-break (for me) from oil painting. The two paintings (above and below) in this post were completed this weekend.

The indefatigable Joanne Mattera put together a unique program of speakers and panelists along with 3 different exhibits, 3 days of encaustic demonstrations and discussions, 3 post-conference days of workshops and critiques, and 6 encaustic-related vendors.

Above is the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts where the conference was held.

Hylla Evans is the founder and paintmaker of Evans Encaustics based in Sonoma, California.

Her day-long workshop on Color is amazing - no matter what medium you work in.

Jeff Schaller's demo above is expressionistic, contemporary, and painterly, with powerful brush strokes that are set instantaneously. He will be holding a workshop in Sonoma soon.

Contact: info@evansencaustics.com for information

Encaustic paints must be fused. You can see the blowtorch Jeff used in the picture above. There are many other methods of fusing.

Encaustic paint must be kept hot in order to paint. Most artists keep the temperature at 200 degrees F but Jeff keeps his at 300 degrees F because it gives him more control.

"Cherubic Banjo Player" by Karin Wells

8" x 10" encaustic on board (another one day painting)

Ancient Medium Meets Modern Methods

According to Roman historian Pliny the Elder, encaustic was used as early as the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E. 

It is made by melting beeswax with a small amount of resin and then adding pigment while the mixture is still molten. 

The artist works quickly out of the pot, for the wax begins to harden as soon as it leaves the heat source. 

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Jasper Johns (shown above with early work) was virtually the sole practitioner of encaustic. 

Today, thousands of artists have caught on to this ancient, luminous medium, yet most art lovers are still unaware of it.

Joanne Mattera wrote THE book on Encaustic Painting (above). She also writes a darn good blog on the subject.

People ask me about encaustics, what it is and how I paint with it. 

Frankly, this is a new medium for me and I am still exploring (and struggling with) it. But it continues to fascinate me and I'm hoping to do more work more with encaustics in the coming years.

I'm still a novice (encaustics-wise) and feel like I really don't know what-in-the-heck I'm doing. I'm still on "square one" and there is sooooooo much to learn here.

In the beginning, the little videos in this post helped me get the hang of it.

Songbird, 8" x 10" Oil and Encaustic on board by Karin Wells

The hard part is that I am basically a realist painter - and this medium is hard for me to control.

The Traveling Pear, 5" x 9" Oil and Encaustic on board by Karin Wells

Currently I am alternating layers of oil and encaustic paint (several of my paintings are in this post).

Cambric Tea, 10" x 10" Oil and Encaustic on board by Karin Wells

I found this demo below that gives a basic introduction by Kathryn Bevier for FineArtSupplies.com *

Note that "Enkaustikos Wax Art Supplies" are sold by FineArtSupplies.

I find encaustics difficult to control but the video below shows how encaustic portrait artist David Hoffend uses a electric heated pen point (C5) - available from FineArtStore.com

Portrait of a Woman, 15" x 15" Oil and Encaustic on board by Karin Wells

 Sometimes I incorporate a pen technique (as in my portrait above) but am ultimately more comfy with a brush in my hand.

The last video is soundless, but shows the artist is "playing" with the paint and you can get the sense of what pure fun it is to work in encaustics.

And finally this video of how R&F Paints makes their pigment sticks. (You'll thank me if you turn your sound down or off on this one - somebody had a good "eye" for music).

Dogwood Flower, 8" x 10" Oil and Encaustic on paper on board by Karin Wells

I can't wait for the Third Annual Encaustic Painting Conference at Montserrat College of Art (Beverly, Massachusetts) this year.

It will take place Friday-Sunday, June 5-7, 2009, with three days of workshops.

Encaustic Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Grand Mother

12" x 12" Encaustic and oil on board

Commissioned Portrait

I just finished this little portrait (it is only the second portrait I have done in encaustic paint). I really love working in this medium because is so "immediate" compared to the way I usually work in oils.

For those of you who have never seen this process, here's how I began this portrait:

I gessoed a 12" x12" cradled (so it won't warp) birch plywood board. I used "Holy Grail Gesso." Do NOT use "regular" gesso - the encaustic paint won't "grab" onto the surface.

Holy Grail can come in different colors (if you order enough). I get mine from Evans Encaustics.

I use cadmium orange under very dark colors (like black). It adds "life and luminosity" where it is allowed to peek through.

I establish my main design values with a mixture of raw umber + white Holy Grail Gesso in different values.

On top of the Holy Grail Gesso, you can see my pencil drawing marks - the encaustic layer will cover them.

In this very first stage - the composition has to "work."

This is the first layer of encaustic paint. I was trying to establish the general value and color of the finished areas.

Of these two considerations, value is always the most important.

Despite that I may not account for all the colors in an underpainting I always begin with the intention and plan to include some representation of red, yellow, blue, black and white in every painting.

I always do my drawings on acetate so I can see through it. I used this drawing to transfer portions of the drawing for the Holy Grail layer and am reusing it to bet the details on the encaustic layer.

I will use and reuse this acetate drawing to keep checking throughout the construction of this painting to be sure that I keep the sitter's likeness.

To transfer my drawing to the encaustic layer, I use a sheet of tracing paper much like a piece of old-fashioned carbon paper.

Long ago I rubbed a white pastel into the surface of this tracing paper. I have a stack of sheets of different colors that I use.

Although this tracing sheet gets ratty looking with age, it works to transfer drawings to just about every surface for oil painting, encaustic, watercolor, etc.

Sorry I don't have more pictures of each stage but I layered oil and encaustic...until it was "finished."

I think that showing the early stages is far more important to this particular process.

I also like a "fancy" frame - just like the ones I put on my traditional oil paintings.

Cambric Tea - Encaustic Still Life Painting

Cambric Tea

10" x 10" Encaustic and oil paint on wood panel, framed

$895.00

[KAYM-brihk] 

An American term used to describe a hot drink of milk, water, sugar and, if desired, a dash of tea. It was a favorite of children and the elderly in the late 19th and early 20th century. The name is taken from a fabric called cambric, which is white and thin . . . Just like the "tea."

This is pure nostalgia for me. I remember having a delightful cup of Cambric Tea with my Grandmother. She used the fancy china and I felt verrrrry special and grown up.

Songbird - Encaustic Painting

Songbird

8" x 10," Framed, Encaustic and oil paint on paper on board

$795.00

Pear Still Life - Encaustic Painting

Pear Still Life 

5" x 7" Encaustic and Oil on Paper on Board

SOLD

Dogwood Still Life - Encaustic

Dogwood Still Life

8" x 10" Encaustic on paper on board

SOLD

Evans Encaustic Paints

Encaustics are an ancient medium of pigmented wax and are a nice break from my traditional oil paints. 

It loosens me up every time I paint with it.

I really like the high quality handmade encaustic paint I get from Evans Encaustics in Sonoma California. Their paint has no fillers or binders and contains a heavy pigment load.

These varied and delicious colors need to be mixed with medium because they are so concentrated. 

I am particularly enthusiastic because I can duplicate my Old Master's Oil Paint Earth Palette with these encaustic paint sticks.

Their medium is made of natural refined beeswax and a food-grade damar resin. I like the way it handles and I've become addicted to it.

Order from:

Evans Encaustics

728 First Street West

Sonoma, California 95476

707-996-5840

And contact Hylla Evans (hylla at comcast.net) if you have any questions about her wonderful paint - she hand makes every bit of it.

The Evans Encaustics website has a free newsletter and offers workshops for encaustic painters.

And Joanne Mattera has written my favorite book on the subject of encaustic painting - good enough to get me started using encaustics. It is available at Amazon.