Healing Body and Spririt

As part of the Healing Alphabet, I needed to draw some human bodies to include into the work.  I found a live model studio in Ottawa and have gone twice.  Here are samples of the ink and graphite drawings.  Later I will transfer them to fabric, I will do some embroidery on the images, and then I will add them to the 3D objects.  I will show what they will become in a later blog.

Making Encaustic Paints

Here is my studio, and here I am preparing my encaustic paints... to paint with. I am going to show you the process. I use bees wax, dammar varnish, and powder pigments. I need proper ventilation, so I open the window above, despite the cold (-15 today...)

 I use stainless steel cups to melt the wax on a heating tray, on a muffin tray and on a melting pot for larger amounts of encaustic medium.

Once the wax is liquid I add the dammar varnish, and last I add the dry pigments. I combine all with the end of an old brush, making sure it is dissolved and uniform. Then I let it cool down, and once the paints are cold I can begin working. I will tell you about how I use them in another blog.