How to Care for Your Encaustic Art
Burning beeswax. It's not a topic we commonly broach, but it's part of the fascinating process of creating encaustic paintings. Add in some pigment and a damar resin along with a heating device and you've discovered the formula artists incorporate to produce this one-of-a-kind art.
We share this information because it offers important insight into how customers who purchase encaustic art should care for their paintings. As part of our ongoing how-to series relating to caring for various types of artworks, we're happy to pass along what we've learned through research about encaustic paintings.
The word encaustic means to “burn in,” as in the process by which the pigment and wax combination is heated and applied to canvas, wood, or other mediums. Different mechanisms and tools for heating are utilized depending on the type of effect an artist hopes to achieve, such as a hot plate, iron, heated pen, or a standard blowtorch. The practice dates back to 5th century ancient Greece.
Encaustic Painting - What It is and What It Isn't
The word encaustic means to “burn in,” as in the process by which the pigment and wax combination is heated and applied to canvas, wood, or other mediums. Different mechanisms and tools for heating are utilized depending on the type of effect an artist hopes to achieve, such as a hot plate, iron, heated pen, or a standard blowtorch. The practice dates back to 5th century ancient Greece.
Caring for encaustic art has unique aspects because, unlike more traditional paintings, encaustic art involves the application of a series of layers of the medium that when combined with heat creates an uneven surface that adds to the visual interest of encaustic works. This surface effect and the fact that wax is a component of the medium means you'll want to be very careful about the storage and packaging of your artworks. Keeping this and other considerations in mind, we’re offering a few helpful tips.
Storing and Packaging Encaustic Art
Not surprisingly, and as a fundamental rule for safe-keeping of most fine art, we recommend that you store your encaustic art at normal room temperatures, avoiding extremely hot and very cold temperatures.
If for some reason you are compelled to transport your encaustic painting, protect the surface of the painting by carefully wrapping it in parchment or wax paper. If you're prepping your encaustic painting for shipment, it's helpful to find or craft a box of a slightly larger size than the piece itself.
Displaying Your Encaustic Art
Unlike your watercolor paintings which must be protected by glass, encaustic art can be safely displayed without a glass cover. A floater frame provides a protective layer for the outside edges of your encaustic art and can add a punch of complementary color as an outline for your artwork, but you can also hang a finished piece without a frame. As we've mentioned, extreme temperatures are not a friend to your treasured artworks. With this in mind, avoid direct sunlight when determining the best location to hang your encaustic paintings.
Cleaning Encaustic Artwork
Encaustic art may form what is known as “bloom” on its surface over the course of several months after its creation, which is a naturally occurring hazy residue. This can be easily buffed using a lint-free cloth. Cleaning surface dust and debris on your encaustic painting can be accomplished using the same types of materials. We hope these tips relating to encaustic art have been helpful, but as with all our advice about caring for your artwork, when in doubt, consult a restoration professional. If you're in the market to add to your collection of original art, you can peruse the latest works by talented artists on our website, which is refreshed and updated with new art weekly.
