Encaustic is a beeswax-based paint mixed with pigment and kept molten while painting. The word encaustic comes from the Greek meaning to “burn in”, which refers to the process of fusing the paint. This type of painting was used in the 5th century B.C. for weathering boats and coloring marble. Encaustic is the most durable of the artist’s paints because the beeswax is impervious to moisture. Thus, it will not deteriorate, yellow or darken and it can be polished to a high gloss for a brilliant finish. The paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass. The beauty in the paint is found in its immediate drying time. Because it cools immediately, the gesture and brush stroke are captured.
Silkscreen was derived from a stencil process and has been used by sign painters since 1938 for labeling posters, bottles and fabrics. A nylon mesh (screen) is stretched over a wooden frame, coated with a photographic emulsion and an image is burned into the light-sensitive emulsion. The framed screen is placed on the surface to be printed, and ink is pressed through the framed screen with a rubber squeegee. This process requires separate screens for each color. The image can then be duplicated using the various screens.
