Encaustic Wax Octopus Painting

Step 1

Steps:

1. To make the board structure for the encaustic painting:

• Cut four equal lengths of 1" x 2" wood strips for the sides, mitering the corners with a miter saw.
• Cut a piece of 1/4-inch plywood for the top the appropriate measurements to fit the sides.
• Glue the four sides together at the corners and glue the top to the frame with wood glue.
• Clamp everything in place until the wood glue dries.

Steps 2-3

2. Make the encaustic medium by melting eight parts beeswax to one-part damar resin crystals in a double boiler on the stove. Divide the mixture into small containers.

3. Paint the background of the picture blue using a paint roller and acrylic paint. Let dry.

Step 4

4. Draw random circles on the blue background with a pencil and paint them with yellow acrylic paint using an artist brush. Let dry.

Step 5

5. Melt the clear encaustic medium on an electric griddle. Apply the encaustic medium over the painting with a 3-inch paintbrush. Fuse the medium to the painting by heating it with a heat gun to even out the distribution of the wax.

Step 6

6. Draw biology-shaped cellular designs on paper and cut them out with scissors.

Step 7

7. Attach the paper cutouts over the painting using encaustic medium. Cover the cutouts with a layer of encaustic medium. Heat with a heat gun. The paper will be fused between two layers of encaustic medium.

Step 8

8. Carve waves across the top of the painting into the encaustic medium using a small screwdriver.

Step 9

9. Melt a purple encaustic color stick on the electric griddle and fill the etched waves with the purple color. Let harden.

Step 10

10. Scrape off the excess purple wax using a razor blade, leaving the purple color in the carved wave lines.

Step 11

11. Draw a picture of an octopus on paper. Place carbon paper under the drawing and position them on a portion of the painting.

Step 12

12. Trace over the drawing of the octopus with a ballpoint pen to transfer the drawing to the board.

Steps 13-14

13. Melt orange encaustic color on the electric griddle. Paint the orange wax onto the octopus shape.

14. Fuse the octopus with a heat gun to even out the distribution of the wax.

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