How to Create Encaustic Art: A Guide to Painting with Wax

Internationally successful encaustic artist Birgit Hüttemann-Holz walks you through the ancient art of hot-wax painting. Learn the basics, step by step—materials and supplies, encaustic mediums and coloring agents, and surfaces like canvas or textured substrates. Following her guidance, discover how to apply hot liquid wax and fuse it using tools like a hot air gun or propane torch to achieve the various effects. Detailed photos present the entire spectrum of encaustic: smooth and textured surfaces, scraping and relief imprinting techniques, accretion, working with palette knives and collages, and even special techniques like accents with metal leaf or organic materials. Find inspiration from a gallery section of art by eleven top encaustic artists. Whether you are just beginning or are looking for easy-to-follow instructions to enhance your work, this indispensable guide shows the myriad possibilities for artistic design with encaustic art.

Birgit Hüttemann-Holz discovered the ancient technique of encaustic after painting for years. Today, after training in encaustic methods, she exhibits regularly in galleries in Europe and the US. She has won numerous national and international accolades, gives lectures, and runs workshops on the art of encaustic. She lives and works in Detroit.