J & M Enterprises
J & M Enterprises Newsletter Fun Easy Art
December 2009
Ideas To Try
:: Supplies
:: Classes
:: My Blog
:: Videos Online
John Ideas To Try
Dear Encaustic Painter,


Something came up this month that isn't wax, but it could be so I am putting it in. I have a fellow gallery artist that is a photographer and in conversations I have said to him I think he should explore different ways to present his art.  Of course once my mind gets a thought I have to follow it out. I asked for a jpeg of one of his images that had always struck me as something I would like to do something with in wax. So he emailed me the image and before I knew it I was first doing something for him as to this presentation idea. So first I printed a blow up of just once section of the image on Lasertran decal paper. Then dropped that in water for the 60 seconds and slid the image off on a cradled board. Next I painted the wood with turpentine and that allows the decal to soak into the wood. Next I painted the wood that was exposed without the image using acrylic paint and set some felt feet on it so it could either sit on a table or hang on the wall. Then coated it all with a poly coating. I papered the back side and put hanger wire for wall mount. 

                        Kuan Yin                   

Next I took the same image and this time the whole picture and I did the same, but on a stretched canvas and painted the exposed white canvas with iron oxide paint and then put the chemical on to age it. Added another bit of brown to that as well to match the image and then painted the image with a poly urethane mat coating.  Now I had two examples to show my friend.

                          chee on canvas

But of course I can do this same thing with Jpeg's of my wax paintings, and and dream up different presentations as well.  Perhaps this might spark an idea for you as well.


Here is a small A6 waxed card image not a photo, that I glued to a small canvas after I rubbed some oil paint into the canvas to match the painting. I did a bead of Diamond glaze around the image and then poly coated the whole thing.

                     
                            small canvas



Now I had taken some photos myself this month and I decided to do the dip the paper in wax process and then wax with stylus. The first one is of the Japanese gardens in Seattle. I took the stylus and then painted it all in with colored wax to match the photo. 

                              japanese garden



While we were in Cannon Beach last week we had a coffee in a very neat coffee house and this statue was on a table and I just had to get a shot of it.  I decided to do the dip in clear wax process, but this time I decided to wax the back side of the photo to have a more subtle effect.  Since the waxed paper is now translucent the color on the back is showing through the paper.
  
                statue of lady

I had a collection of water color paper images that I wondered how to present and decided to take a 12 x 12 cradled board and I taped off a section and painted it with course gel medium and then painted that with iron oxide paint and dribbled a bit of gold power and then put the chemical on to get it aged. I painted the rest of the board with Dorland's wax medium and rubbed a bit of oil paints into that for some hint of color. Then when dry I stuck 4 - 1 inch squares of magnetic tape so  that I could use some magnets to hold images on the board. I will assemble 5 of these images together when I sell the board so someone can switch out the paintings for someone to have different art to look at but not needing more wall space. The extra paintings are held in a envelope on the back side of the board.
 

                                               
board   4 views on board

Another  project in the works are some soap dishes I found at Ikea, and I thought I could use them someway. I am going to take a cradled board and mount them on that and then wax the board and mount these dishes after I put a waxed painting on each of them. I was going to finish this for this months newsletter, but not sure I will have time so thinking this will end up for next month unless I get a head of steam up.

     Kuan Yin       Kuan Yin

In the meantime here are four examples of an Ink-jet print that I dipped into hot clear wax on the back side (off a pancake griddle) and then took the iron and painted some colored wax on the back side (while holding the paper off the table in my hand) as well. This gave a soft look on the front side and then I used the stylus to color in the front side. You might experiment a bit with this idea. 

                      Proud

      waves

            

                                birds


                       wading Pair




I think that will be a wrap for this month. Happy waxing.

Supplies
You can find all the supplies for this process on my web site on this page.
There are three box sets of wax, Starter, Expanding and Vivid.  These are the Starter colors.

Encaustic Starter Wax Set $21.00



starter wax

If some of you want to make your own wax here is a link to get the how to do it info.


Upcoming Class Schedules
Looking ahead

emerging



Finally decided on where we are going to go this winter. We decided to return to Albuquerque NM again for the month of February 2010. We have rented a house for the month and I will be arranging some classes while we are there. To encourage folks who might be apprehensive with this new medium I will offer the classes with a money back guarantee. You have to have enjoyed the class, had some fun and were delighted in what you learned.

I have a two day class  from 12-5 PM each day at the NMAL building on Thurs the 18th and Friday the 19th. The cost is $190.00 and all supplies are included per usual with my classes. You could also check a site that will have it posted.

I have a date for a short beginners class at the Highland Senior Center on Thursday Feb 25th from 11 to 3 pm. Go here to register and pay. 

If you are in the area and want to help arrange some classes give me a shout and see if we can't hold a class close to you. Now our plans look like we will head down I-5 and then scoot over to the Las Vegas area as we want to check out the Henderson area. Could do a class in this area as well if there is some interest.


Waxingitup.blogspot.com
My blog:
A downloadable power point slide show with audio (about half hour) can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/yfj4lfy



Free Instruction
35 video clips to watch.

To look at the video clips I have on the web simply access them from these links.
Series 1.
Series 2.
Series 3.
Hope they help you and inspire you to give wax a try.

Click to
Join My Mailing List!
or
Do you know an artist friend that might be interested in this information? Just use the forward button below to send them a copy of this email.
Thanks for your continued interest in wax painting, my website and, blog, and now my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,
 
John Vandebrooke
J & M Enterprises
Visit my artist owned gallery located at 508 Main St. in Edmonds WA.
or visit the web site.
One of the oldest artist owned galleries in Washington, formed in 1961 as a non-profit 501-C4 corporation.