R&F Handmade Paints Forums

dcnyc1 · 2012-04-18 12:40:44

Hi - Im wondering if anyone can help. I am coating my photos with wax but am having alot of trouble with the wax sinking into the paper. Im using an all cotton archival paper, wax is at a low heat, I keep the heatgun at a low heat. But still having problem with the paper absorbing the wax and pooling of wax.
Is there a coating I should be using on the photograph prior to applying the wax? Any suggestions?
Any help would be MOST appreciated!
thanks
Diane

Muscol · 2012-04-19 15:27:46

Hi,
I have used ExtraOrganza and bakers parchment paper. I have heard through the grapevine that there are other materials that are promising.
Please share.
KC

laura · 2012-04-23 14:12:53

Baker's parchment works well for transfers, but I think Diane wants to paint directly onto her photo, so parchment would not be a good paper to use because it is non-absorbent.

Diane, typically you would want to stay away from any coating because you want the paper to absorb the wax. From what you describe, it sounds like you are getting everything too hot, but I could use a little more info from you, describing more precisely what you mean by 'coating your photos with wax'?

Are your photos mounted on a panel, or are they unsupported sheets of paper? Then, how are you coating them (painting, dipping, etc)

Are you using encaustic, straight beeswax, or some other type of wax?

What do you mean by 'low heat'?

What is your experience level? Have you taken any workshops? (just don't want to go over things you already know).

What are you fusing with?

dcnyc1 · 2012-04-25 07:36:31

Hi Laura
Thanks for replying! I don't believe it is the temperature of the wax or the heat gun as I have experimented with many heat levels.

I am mounting the photo (which is printed on 100% cotton paper) to a wooden panel with archival glue. I then melt the filtered wax/damar encaustic medium (at about 170 degrees) and paint the wax on to the photo. I apply heat with a heat gun set at a low setting and smoothe it out (lightly) with the brush.
The wax continually sinks into the paper in areas so that when I apply another layer of wax the surface gets uneven and the wax starts to pool due to different layers of wax absorbing into the paper in some areas and not in others.
Basically the process can take so long (and requires so much wax medium) because you have to continually apply the wax before it has stopped getting absorbed into the paper. I have literally been experimenting for a few months and reading literature, watching videos etc.
Any more suggestions you have would be so appreciated as i just love the look of the wax on my work!
thank you very much
Diane

laura · 2012-04-25 16:47:31

Have you considered pouring instead of brushing and fusing?

dcnyc1 · 2012-04-25 17:07:37

I have! And maybe thats what I need to try next....

laura · 2012-04-26 09:15:49

Good luck!

tomf · 2012-04-27 11:33:22

I'm most certainly a "newbie" with encaustics, but my background is photography. In my limited experience mixing the two the biggest factor is PAPER. Most photo paper is either fiber paper (better) or plastic (bad) that is then coated with a sealer (bad).

B&W wet darkroom paper typically has baryta clay coatings that does not work well with encaustics. The "RC" type B&W papers are plastic coated with baryta and works very poorly. Some of the Eastern European fiber based traditional papers, such as Foma, work the best for me. Foma is available from Freestyle Photo.

I've yet to find a wet darkroom color photo paper that works well. I "assume" all modern color papers are plastic (not good).

Inkjet papers are not something I've investigated. They too have coatings (to limit inks from "wicking" too deeply into the fibers). From my "alt" experience (below) I would assume you would want a cotton fiber inkjet paper with minimal coating. Or, perhaps you can experiment with inkjet printing directly onto artists cotton paper (rather than standard "inkjet" papers).

Most of my (limited) encaustics/photo experience has been with "alt" photo prints. Palladium, cyanotype, gum prints. These are made with uncoated "artists" papers that are hand coated with a light sensitive chemical. Because of this I can use papers like Masa, Cranes Cover, Fabriano Artictico or Rives BFK. This is where I've had the most success.

I'm sure there are inkjet folks out there having similar success, I don't know if they have similar papers made for inkjet or if they are inkjet printing directly onto the "artists" paper. Please remember that I'm a newbie!

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#1 2012-04-18 12:40:44

encaustic with photography

#2 2012-04-19 15:27:46

Re: encaustic with photography

#3 2012-04-23 14:12:53

Re: encaustic with photography

#4 2012-04-25 07:36:31

Re: encaustic with photography

#5 2012-04-25 16:47:31

Re: encaustic with photography

#6 2012-04-25 17:07:37

Re: encaustic with photography

#7 2012-04-26 09:15:49

Re: encaustic with photography

#8 2012-04-27 11:33:22

Re: encaustic with photography

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dcnyc1 Member	encaustic with photography Hi - Im wondering if anyone can help. I am coating my photos with wax but am having alot of trouble with the wax sinking into the paper. Im using an all cotton archival paper, wax is at a low heat, I keep the heatgun at a low heat. But still having problem with the paper absorbing the wax and pooling of wax. Is there a coating I should be using on the photograph prior to applying the wax? Any suggestions? Any help would be MOST appreciated! thanks Diane

Muscol Member	Re: encaustic with photography Hi, I have used ExtraOrganza and bakers parchment paper. I have heard through the grapevine that there are other materials that are promising. Please share. KC

laura R&F Staff	Re: encaustic with photography Baker's parchment works well for transfers, but I think Diane wants to paint directly onto her photo, so parchment would not be a good paper to use because it is non-absorbent. Diane, typically you would want to stay away from any coating because you want the paper to absorb the wax. From what you describe, it sounds like you are getting everything too hot, but I could use a little more info from you, describing more precisely what you mean by 'coating your photos with wax'? Are your photos mounted on a panel, or are they unsupported sheets of paper? Then, how are you coating them (painting, dipping, etc) Are you using encaustic, straight beeswax, or some other type of wax? What do you mean by 'low heat'? What is your experience level? Have you taken any workshops? (just don't want to go over things you already know). What are you fusing with?
	Laura Moriarty Director of Exhibitions & Workshops R&F Handmade Paints laura@rfpaints.com

dcnyc1 Member	Re: encaustic with photography Hi Laura Thanks for replying! I don't believe it is the temperature of the wax or the heat gun as I have experimented with many heat levels. I am mounting the photo (which is printed on 100% cotton paper) to a wooden panel with archival glue. I then melt the filtered wax/damar encaustic medium (at about 170 degrees) and paint the wax on to the photo. I apply heat with a heat gun set at a low setting and smoothe it out (lightly) with the brush. The wax continually sinks into the paper in areas so that when I apply another layer of wax the surface gets uneven and the wax starts to pool due to different layers of wax absorbing into the paper in some areas and not in others. Basically the process can take so long (and requires so much wax medium) because you have to continually apply the wax before it has stopped getting absorbed into the paper. I have literally been experimenting for a few months and reading literature, watching videos etc. Any more suggestions you have would be so appreciated as i just love the look of the wax on my work! thank you very much Diane

laura R&F Staff	Re: encaustic with photography Have you considered pouring instead of brushing and fusing?
	Laura Moriarty Director of Exhibitions & Workshops R&F Handmade Paints laura@rfpaints.com

dcnyc1 Member	Re: encaustic with photography I have! And maybe thats what I need to try next....

laura R&F Staff	Re: encaustic with photography Good luck!
	Laura Moriarty Director of Exhibitions & Workshops R&F Handmade Paints laura@rfpaints.com

tomf Member	Re: encaustic with photography I'm most certainly a "newbie" with encaustics, but my background is photography. In my limited experience mixing the two the biggest factor is PAPER. Most photo paper is either fiber paper (better) or plastic (bad) that is then coated with a sealer (bad). B&W wet darkroom paper typically has baryta clay coatings that does not work well with encaustics. The "RC" type B&W papers are plastic coated with baryta and works very poorly. Some of the Eastern European fiber based traditional papers, such as Foma, work the best for me. Foma is available from Freestyle Photo. I've yet to find a wet darkroom color photo paper that works well. I "assume" all modern color papers are plastic (not good). Inkjet papers are not something I've investigated. They too have coatings (to limit inks from "wicking" too deeply into the fibers). From my "alt" experience (below) I would assume you would want a cotton fiber inkjet paper with minimal coating. Or, perhaps you can experiment with inkjet printing directly onto artists cotton paper (rather than standard "inkjet" papers). Most of my (limited) encaustics/photo experience has been with "alt" photo prints. Palladium, cyanotype, gum prints. These are made with uncoated "artists" papers that are hand coated with a light sensitive chemical. Because of this I can use papers like Masa, Cranes Cover, Fabriano Artictico or Rives BFK. This is where I've had the most success. I'm sure there are inkjet folks out there having similar success, I don't know if they have similar papers made for inkjet or if they are inkjet printing directly onto the "artists" paper. Please remember that I'm a newbie!