Encaustic Paintings by Jaime Lyerly - Process

Encaustic painting set up and works in progress, © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

It was a productive weekend! I spent many hours on Friday in 90+ degree weather working on encaustic (hot wax) paintings. In the beginning, each time I turned on the heat gun to fuse my layers of wax, I thought "wow, I must be crazy to do this in the summer." But the wax would flow so nicely and beg me to put more layers and I quieted that inner voice with a steady stream of music on my mp3 player. Thus these 6x6" paintings came into existence despite the heat of the day.

So I am here to share the process of how they were made. The weekend of the 25th, I spent a Saturday teaching a Basic Encaustic Painting Workshop at the Escondido Municipal Gallery. It was an amazing experience for me. I love to be able to share my knowledge of encaustic and to show people the versatility and potential of this medium. Watching people who have never worked in hot wax tentatively layer on their first coats and fuse it reminded me of my own first explorations with the medium.

So this weekend, I challenged myself to just paint. Not carve, not embed, not collage - just paint. These little paintings are the results. Some are more finished than others, but they are all purely encaustic paintings. I have documented the process of a few of the paintings to show their progress, and images of other paintings done on the same day are included.

I started with 6 x 6 x1.5" Studio Gallery Panel cradled Blick Studio Artists' Boards, that I had already pre-waxed with two layers of refined beeswax. Some of the wax on the boards were applied roughly but thoroughly, which leads to an inherit texture to start the painting. I like to begin with texture and work color into it. The layers of wax need time to cool if they are applied thickly, so I work on multiple paintings at the time (see the set up shot above).

Here is the first one, with its' progress numbered.

1. Paint was dropped into dots and flicked from the brush onto a pre-waxed panel, and fused lightly with a heat gun

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 1, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

2. More layers of encaustic paint are added, fusing in between each layer. Drops of Indian Yellow highlight the texture of the piece. The texture is also muted and emphasized by the layers of encaustic medium brushed and fused on top.

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 1, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

3. More layers of encaustic wax medium are added and left to cool. A red spiral is added and fused. Other colors are mixed on the hot griddle and are added to the stripe. Here is the finished painting.

Encaustic painting, Untitled 1, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

4. Here is a detail of the brushwork, texture and dots.

Encaustic painting, Untitled 1 - detail, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Onto the second one, with its' progress numbered. I did not take a photo of the first few strokes of color.

1. Dots of color (blues and greens) are dripped onto the board, fused and allowed to cool. The entire surface is covered with Indian Yellow encaustic paint, applied with a dry brush.

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 2, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

2. Blue is added and fused. Clear encaustic medium is added in layers to subdue the colors.

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 2, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

3. The board is flipped to put the yellow on the bottom. Ultramarine blue and a cool red are applied in layers and fused until they move the Indian Yellow into swirls. The texture is emphasized by application of red only to highest ridges of the texture. Fusing it again moves the wax into the hollows. Here is the finished painting.

Encaustic painting, Untitled 2, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Here are two more paintings which show in progress shots and the finished work.

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 3, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, detal, in progress, Untitled 3 - detail, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 3, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 4, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 4, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

These next two painting were made by pouring the wax onto the board, fusing it and painting on top when it cooled. Of all the paintings, I think these two are the most "unfinished." They do have an interesting look.

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 7, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting in progress, Untitled 11, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Finally, the last five paintings done on Friday, all with varying textures and colors.

Encaustic painting, Untitled 8, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 10, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 5, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 9, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting - detail, Untitled 9 - detail, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, Untitled 6, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic painting, detail, Untitled 6 - detail, 6x6x1.5 panel © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Your Turn:
I would love to hear your opinions about these works and the telling of the process. Too much description? Not enough pictures? It is all about the journey of making art, so I am open to suggestions on how to share my journey. Artists, Do you post in progress pictures? If so, let me know! I would love to see your process.

Happy Art making! Enjoy the journey! ~ Jaime Lyerly