Limitless #4

The History The word Encaustic originates from the Greek word enkaustikos, which means to “burn in” or “to fuse”. Encaustic painting involves layering beeswax that has been melted with crystalized tree sap, tinted with colored pigments and oil paints to create the most unique painting technique I have ever seen. It is painted on wooden panels with natural hair brushes and fused in between layers with fire or heat. The wax can be layered to have a smooth finish or be built up to create unique and mesmerizing textures making the possibilities endless. This technique began in ancient Egypt and Greece as far back as the 5th century B.C. The oldest surviving paintings we know of are the Romano-Egyptian Fayum mummy portraits from Egypt dated around 100–300 AD. There are hundreds of paintings that have survived over 2,000 years without cracking, flaking, or fading. The portraits were placed on the outside of coffins over the head of upper class mummies or were carefully wrapped into the mummy bandages. Encaustics are extremely archival due to the nature of beeswax. It naturally repells dust and water and is mildew resistant, which is how the Fayum paintings have survived this long. Care Even though Encaustic paintings are very durable, you still have to handle them with great care. Just like any piece of artwork, you never want to hang an encaustic painting in direct sunlight. This creates a “magnifying glass” effect and can cause the painting to get warm and “sag” over time and fade the colors. That being said, encaustics have a melting point of 150° making it perfectly safe to hang in your home or office. Avoid letting the wax freeze, freezing could cause the wax to crack over time. They do best in stable temperatures 40-125 degrees F. Ensure that your painting is wrapped and packaged properly. It should be covered with wax paper or glassine paper first then wrapped with a protective layer like bubble wrap. For larger and heavier works, a wooden crate/box lined with insulation may be needed for shipping/transporting/storage. IF your painting does get warm and you are unsure how hot it actually got, DO NOT UNWRAP IT. Let it cool completely before unwrapping it and the wax paper should just pop off. Always protect the surface and edges of a painting. Although the surface is completely dry, encaustic paintings can be scratched, gouged, or chipped if not handled with care. That being said wax is very easy to fix if anything does get damaged over time. Encaustic paint will continue to cure and harden for about a year after completion; in this process the surface may lose some of its original luster and sheen. This is called “blooming” and looks like a cloudy effect over the surface of the wax. Not to worry this is natural and actually good for the painting. Just take a soft, lint free cloth or shirt and lightly buff the surface of the painting. Over some time you will not need to buff it as often and will have a beautiful, glass like shine to it. If you have any questions please contact me (: ~Korin Chapman

Additional information

Dimensions	5 × 5 in
Subject	Landscape, Ocean, Water
Version	One of a Kind Original Artwork
Style	Landscape
Version Short	Original Artwork
Artist	Korin Chapman
Medium	Encaustic Painting, Mixed Media
Substrate	Wood Panel
Frame Status	Unframed Wood Panel – Ready to Hang