R&F Handmade Paints

This past June at the 6^th Annual International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, I had the opportunity to sit in on Richard’s session about the adhesive properties of different substances and their compatibility with encaustic paints and mediums.  There was an abundance of information about a variety of different materials and it was all pulled from real-world testing done here at R&F.   (Read more about testing here)   One thing that really struck me more than anything else is that it is not the binder that dictates whether or not a ground is suitable for encaustic - it is how you use it.

To be clear, very early on we were advising artists against the use of encaustic over acrylic mediums.   From 1988 (when Richard began advising artists) until 2007, that was perfectly sound advice.   We did not feel that the acrylic mediums and grounds that were on the market at that time had the porosity or “tooth” necessary for encaustic paint to reliably adhere to a substrate.   Then in 2008, after quite some time in development, we introduced our acrylic based “Encaustic Gesso”.  But how does this work?

Acrylic is bad, right?

Well, no.

Used properly, acrylic is a very reliable, and durable binder.  It has wonderful adhesive properties and flexibility. Carefully tweaked with some other materials, it is quite suitable for use with encaustic paint.  What I took away, more than anything else, from Richard’s presentation in June is that it is not about the binder.

Think of it this way: For years artists have quite successfully used traditional rabbit-skin glue gesso as a ground for encaustic.  Rabbit-skin glue by itself is a slick, non-porous, brittle medium.  On it’s own it is not a very good ground for encaustic.  When you combine it carefully with the right proportion of solid materials (titanium, chalk, etc) it becomes a very suitable ground for encaustic.  So, one more time:  it’s not about the binder.

The reason I feel confident about this (like all our products) is that we test them.  Again and again, until we feel confident about their performance.  Then we test them some more.

When we developed our Encaustic Gesso, (and later, when we worked with Ampersand to create Encausticbord) we wanted something that was absorbent and felt like watercolor paper but could be brushed on smooth and dry quickly with little effort.  We also wanted something that was not soluble with water after it dried since many artists combine encaustic with other media.  And we wanted a gesso that had excellent adhesion on all kinds of substrates and would be flexible and durable to withstand changes in the environment over very long periods of time.   After a lot of hard work and lots of testing we got all of these things.  And some acrylic.

Paintmaker Matt Kelly shares a day in the life at R&F making encaustic paint and Pigment Sticks:

There has been quite a bit of buzz lately about our Pigment Sticks.  More artists are becoming aware of what a great medium they are on their own but they are also being recognized for their unique ability to bridge different mediums.

Recently, we were fortunate to have Lisa Pressman here for the latest installment of our visiting artist series of workshops.  Lisa’s workshop, “Pigment Sticks and Mixed Media” covered a lot of ground in three days and participants generated an impressive amount of work.

The visiting artist series is a unique opportunity to experience a world class instructor/artist in R&F’s well stocked and equipped facility.

Thank you Lisa!!

Lisa and Richard

One of the most frequently asked questions about encaustic painting is “What is the right surface to paint on?”  The mechanics of adhesion in oil and acrylic are well established but there is no equally standard body of knowledge about the adhesion of encaustic to various surfaces.

In 2008, when we worked with the chemists who helped us develop our Encaustic Gesso, it was necessary to test its performance. We needed to know how well the gesso adhered to a panel and how well encaustic paint would adhere to the gesso. This became all the more crucial when we partnered with Ampersand Art Supply to create a machine-made panel based on our Encaustic Gesso.  Encausticbord™ had to be both durable and seductively inviting to work on.  It was also important that it would be suitable for multi-media use since encaustic is so often used in conjunction with other mediums and materials.

Once it was clear that the Encausticbord™ worked well with oil, water, and wax based mediums, we applied a series of systematic tests for durability that we had used when we released our brushable Encaustic Gesso.

The first and simplest test, of course, is to freeze a painted panel and then slam it to see if the paint will break off.  We have been using “The Freezer Test” since the early nineties when we needed a simple way to help artists determine compatibility of their substrate with encaustic.  This mainly tells you how well the painting should hold up under acute impact when shipped in cold weather.

The longevity of a painting however, depends on many variables, the most important of which are the gradual fluctuations in temperature and humidity that take place over long periods of time in normal conditions for exhibiting or storing artwork.

To simulate this, we have developed a procedure of cycling painted panels through freezing and thawing periods to exaggerate those fluctuations in temperature. We follow this with quantifiable stress tests designed to detach any areas of paint that became vulnerable from the repeated contraction and expansion of the freezer test.

We repeat these tests using a range of colors, because, as most of you who work in encaustic know, every pigment has a characteristic effect on the wax (as it does on other mediums). Umbers, for example make the wax very hard and brittle. Cadmiums make it soft. Titanium white can make it gummy.  Each family of colors has to pass the test for a ground to be considered suitable for encaustic.

How dependable are these tests? It’s fairly easy to say if you’re talking about a couple of decades. Most of us have experienced how materials behave in that amount of time.  We know from the Fayum portraits that beeswax will last 2 millennia and longer. Yet our modern pigments differ from the ancient ones.  The supports and grounds we work on are also different. This is why it is important to continue developing tests to simulate fluctuations in the environment over time.  It is important to test the effects of temperature, humidity, light, vibrations, pollution, and phases of aging in the medium that over time can break down the structure of the paint and cause the separation of one material from another.

The methods used in these tests do not result in predictions, only educated guesses. What they can do is separate materials with short-term durability from those that promise to survive much longer.

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One last word about shipping in cold weather:  Most artwork is fragile in extreme cold, even work that is made with materials that easily withstand normal temperature fluctuation. The best precaution in any instance is careful packaging and, when feasible, expedited shipping time.

Last weeks Encaustic for Sculptors workshop taught by R&F’s Kelly McGrath was a huge hit.   Students were  introduced to many innovative 3D techniques and they produced an impressive body of work in just three days.

We are looking forward to an exciting year of mixed media and collaborative workshops as well as our tried and true comprehensive courses in in both encaustic and Pigment Stick.   Also keep an eye out for more in our series of visiting artists.    This year we are thrilled to have Lisa Pressman, Lorraine Glessner, Cat Crotchett, and Alexandre Masino here at R&F!!

Look here for more information or feel free to contact us to reserve a space!

Last Saturday, January 15th, was the 23rd anniversary of R&F’s founding in the now proverbial basement in Brooklyn. But what’s so special about a 23rd anniversary? It’s not a marker like a 20th or a 25th anniversary. I have to admit even we didn’t pay much attention to it here.

But then I got to thinking how much this year really does represent something very special in R&F’s history. This was the year that we collaborated with Ampersand Art Supply to create Encausticbord^TM, and that led to the introduction of the Encaustic Center, a fully integrated selection of encaustic paints, tools, and supports now available in art supply stores around the country.

Our 1st anniversary represented our continuation of commercial encaustic paint begun by Torch Art Supply in the late 1940s, which was for many years the only commercial encaustic paint in the world. But it was, particularly back then, a specialty paint relegated to the back corners of most art stores.

Original Torch Art Supply encaustics

R&F’s original hand cut encaustic cakes

Our 23rd anniversary represents the establishment of encaustic paint as a mainstream art material. While the symbol of a 20th anniversary is china and the symbol of a 25th is silver for R&F the Encaustic Center signifies this milestone in our history.

R&F's encaustic paint is available in three sizes (40 ml., 101 ml. and 333 ml.)

The Encaustic Paint Center

"quack-quack" by paintmaker Matt Kelly

We stay pretty focused on our work here at R&F (luckily, we all love paint) and we’ve had a pretty exciting year with lots of new developments.    But now is a time to reflect and consider what we are thankful for.  The first thing that comes to mind is that we have wonderful customers who are passionate about what they do and share with us a love of paint that is, at times, borderline irrational.  On top of that they make what we do possible in the first place.  So thank you to each and everyone of you for doing what you do.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

The last of 2010’s Visiting Artist Workshops at R&F wrapped-up last week with Cari Hernandez, who came from Northern California to share some of her alternative methods of object making in a dynamic 3 day workshop.  Cari got her class all charged up!   If you missed out, or are not aware of Cari’s work take a look here.

The Visiting Artist Series is one of our favorite programs because it brings popular working artists to our studio facility to share exciting techniques with a small group of lucky students.  Be on the lookout in 2011 for another installment of this incredibly successful series.  Teaching artists on the roster include: Cat Crotchett, and Alexandre Masino, and Lorraine Glessner.

R&F was greatly honored to be the recipient of the first Krider Prize for Creativity given by the University and College Designers Association. The presentation took place during UCDA’s 40th anniversary and annual conference in Minneapolis on October 2. The prize was presented to Richard Frumess by UCDA Foundation board member and frequent R&F workshop participant, Barbara Esmark.

The Krider Prize was created in memory of UCDA member John Alden Krider to honor “creativity wherever it may be found.” As stated in the announcement, UCDA recognizes “that designers draw their inspiration and influences from a broad range of fields and experiences. Therefore, the criteria for the Krider Prize is deliberately broad to reflect that creativity takes countless forms and is demonstrated in many ways.”

UCDA gave the award to R&F for our company’s “creativity and demonstrated impact on the industry and the community.” In specific, the Association acknowledged

• Our role in the revival of a previously under used and misunderstood medium that impacts many others (photography, design, painting, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, collage);

• Our influence on, and assistance to, artists across the country through our workshops and high-quality encaustics and oil sticks;

• Our creation of jobs for artists in teaching, training and production of waxes and paints;

• Our policy that allows students to use studio space and virtually all materials for free;

• Our promotion of art and artists through our public exhibition gallery; and

• Our creative, nurturing and productive environment.

Richard, in accepting the award, pointed out that UCDA was honoring many people in granting this prize – our teachers, our workshop and gallery director, our office staff,  hundreds of artists who have contributed so much to our workshops and exhibitions, and, not least, our paint makers, for at the core of all of our activities is our wonderful and beautiful paint.

The $1,500 prize will be set aside for R&F workshop scholarships for UCDA members.

Interested in sampling colors or building your palette? Our new, smaller, 40ml  studio-size encaustic cakes offer a practical solution.  These heavily pigmented, ready-to-use paints are of the same quality that you know and love.  They are available in all of our 80 colors, along with our existing 104ml and 333ml sizes.