RHONDA RAULSTON

RESOURCES

BOOKS & DVDS

Many of these books can be found at sources other than those listed here. Check sites like ThriftBooks, AbeBooks, Alibris, etc.

  • Encaustic Materials and Methods. FrancesPratt and Becca Fizell. (1949) Out of print. Visit the Frances Pratt website for updates about this little-known artist, writer and collector.

  • The Art of Encaustic Painting, Joanne Mattera. Includes an overview of ancient and contemporary history, materials, techniques, safety & technical information, as well as a wonderful sampling of contemporary artists’ works.

 DVDS

ENCAUSTIC MATERIALS & SUPPLIES 
WAX, PAINT & MEDIUM

HOT PALETTES:  You will need a temperature regulator and a working surface of 225-230 degrees.  Buy a NEW appliance. You are going to be using the griddle in a way it was not designed for - on all day. These appliances can be poorly made and parts frequently melt off of them. (Ask me how I know!) so don’t risk a fire with a used, possibly defective appliance.

  • R&F Paints Palettes (available on Amazon, but check for better prices) Anodized aluminum with a variable thermostat hot plate underneath

  • Electric griddles (Sears, etc.) with a large surface area also work well and cost $20 to $40. Make sure you get one with a variable thermostat. And use a separate surface thermometer to monitor the temperature.

  • Electric skillets (3” deep or so) are good when working with larger pieces and for dipping papers.

  • Make your own: scrap aluminum (preferably anodized) from a metal supplier, with supports and an hot plate (variable thermostat) underneath.

TORCHES, HEAT GUNS, HEATED TOOLS, TACKING IRONS
Two fan settings are recommended and a temperature control is a MUST.  1200 watts is sufficient for encaustic. Try before you buy – some are extremely noisy.  I suggest doing an internet search.  Often hardware & DIY stores have better prices than the encaustic & art supply companies can offer.

  • Heat guns: wide range available. Get variable temperature/2 speed. Kawasaki Heat Gun Kit w/ nozzles ($27), Ryobi @ HomeDepot 200° to 1000°F -$30 online special), or expensive but very good - Makita Heat H1100 gun ($80-$110). reduction & fan nozzles available

  • Torches: Butane: lighter weight, more control. >>Iwatani IICCB-TCPRO Torch Burner for BU-6IW ($25-$30) plus butane fuel canisters ($2 each); >> Micro torches (Weller, Benzomatic – Home Depot/Lowes and chef’s micro torches) can be used but create a concentrated point of heat rather than a diffused flame & aren’t good for smooth surfaces. ($15-$30)

  • Heated tools, spatulas – (All major art suppliers - $25 - $85) – Comes with temperature regulator and different heads (sold separately) to fuse & manipulate, scribe, carve, burnish, blend & model.

  • Tacking irons – good for embedding papers, fabrics. ($20-$70) Coverite 21st Century iron, Hobbico iron, Seal/Beinfang Selector III.

PANELS AND SUPPORTS:  
Panels should be rigid and absorbent with some tooth.  Acrylic gesso is not the best ground archivally; use encaustic gesso if in doubt. 

  • Dick Blick carries 5 oz double-primed cotton canvas board– acrylic primed. These can be re-gesso with Encaustic gesso. These inexpensive panels are good for smaller works & experimentation.

  • Ampersand panels. Come flat and cradled in various depths. Carried by all art suppliers as well as the major online companies. Basswood panels, Encaustic-bord and Aquabord can be used without re-gessoing. Gessobord should be re-primed. Claybord is NOT recommended because it isn’t absorbent.

  • Plywood, luan, Masonite. Your local lumber yard will cut them to size. Sand the edges. Minimum suggested thickness is 1/4”. 1/8” will warp, causing the wax to flake off.

  • Cardboard, paper & fabric can be used, but there are cautions and challenges. I suggest attending workshops that specifically address these materials.

    PAINT CUPS & CONTAINERS 

  • Kitchen supply warehouses have a great variety of metal containers, ranging from measuring cups (1 c, 1/2c, ¼ c and1/8c) with and without long handles & pour spouts, to square prep containers in various sizes, to muffin tins.

  • Ikea has a great set of children’s play cookware with handles and lids

  • Make your own – aluminum/tin cans: cat food, tuna, sardine cans.

  • Enkaustikos carries a terrific line of encaustic paint in tins, with or without lids

PALETTE (SURFACE) THERMOMETERS
The temperature of the palette and wax should be monitored carefully, as overheated wax (above 230 degrees) chemically breaks down the wax and can be toxic.  Always have good ventilation. 

  • R and F Paints ($13), or chef’s/grill thermometers ($8 to $50),

  • Micro non-contact digital thermometers ($20 and up)

SCULPTING TOOLS

  • Flea markets generally have inexpensive dental and clay sculpting tools

  • Art supply stores will have clay sculpting tools

  • Home Depot/Lowes has a great variety of mastic and plaster trowels.

WAXED PAPER ROLLS (AND CUTTER STAND)

PJP Marketplace - Norpak Del wet waxed paper - 1000-foot roll comes in 15” & 18” wide ($40-$50) PLUS SHIPPING!! This is very a very heavy roll to ship, so check local restaurant supply places to avoid the shipping costs. Note: A 1000’ roll lasts for several years and I use a lot of it for covering work tables in my studio and during my workshops, as well as using it to wrap pieces, using it for burnishing, and a thousand other things.

FUN STUFF 

  • Sequin waste (“punchinella”) Simply Sequins

  • Alcohol ink: Tim Holtz Adirondack (at Joanne’s Fabric & Craft stores). About $3.50 on sale / otherwise $6

  • Archival glue: YES Stik Flat Glue

  • Gold leaf, foils, tracing & transfer papers, special papers:

    • Delta Renaissance Gilding Foil is less expensive (than real gold or silver) & easy to use.

    • Sepp Leaf – makes paper backed gold/silver leaf that transfers onto wax easily.

    • Xyron Glaminator Transfer foil - metallics (gold, copper, bronze, etc.)

    • Dritz Wax-free Tracing paper – various colors available at sewing stores.

    • Talas Bookbinding. Papers and bookbinding supplies.

    • Hiromi Paper (online store). Wonderful selection of Japanese papers

    • Carbon paper is available at stationery stores.

    • Parchment paper (for image transfers)– Restaurant supply stores (cut to fit copier size).

  • Stencils: craft & scrapbooking supplies (Michael’s), Home Depot (in the paint department), stationery stores (architect’s stencils), or you can make your own.

  • Metallic pastes; pan pastels: ArtAlehemy Metallique wax / Pan Pastels - sets or individual at Michaels, Blicks

  • Sari thread - check out Etsy and Amazon - great color selections of irregular, textured “thread”

  • Horse hair: Hairwork.com. Terrific selection of colors, horsehair braid work, etc.

    Ephemera:

    • Art Fire - (under “Craft Supplies”) feathers, ribbon, jewelry findings, buttons, charms, molds, appliques, etc. (for embedding & collage)

    • Do an internet search for Scrapbooking Embellishments.

    • Etsy- look under “Craft Supplies”. Buttons, beads, cabochons, and my personal favorite “Vintage” which has: all the above plus ephemera, charms, findings, paper ephemera, and much more.

    • Tim Holtz idea-ology packs. Amazon, Etsy, etc. Ephemera for collage

    • Meinketoy.com - fiber art and mixed media (beads, buttons, rubber stamps, sequins, paper art, stencils, etc.

    • MyArtC, stencils, inks, ephemera

    • AnimaDesigns - all kinds of cool mixed media stuff and tutorials

    • Local flea markets are great resources (In the Los Angeles area: Pasadena City College - first Sunday of the month; Rose Bowl Flea Market - 2nd Sunday of the month).

TECHNICAL & INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

  • ENKAUSTIKOS and R&F PAINTS are the leaders in encaustic paints, materials and technical/instructional information.

ORGANIZATIONS

All Things Encaustic:  Encaustic Art Blog and Directory
Encaustic Art Institute
International Encaustic Artists
NW Encaustics
The Hive

ARTISTS WHO HAVE INSPIRED ME

I give credit and gratitude to these TEACHERS & ARTISTS who have given me permission to show their works to the students in my workshops.   

*Lyn Belisle
*Michelle Belto
^Kim Bernard
Kathleen Burke
^*Miles Conrad
^Cari Hernandez  
^Martin Kline
^*Ellen Koment 
*Jeff League
*Joanne Mattera
^Lora Murphy
^*Catherine Nash 
^*Paula Roland
*Tony Scherman  
^Patricia Seggebruch    
^*Rodney Thompson    
^Cynthia Winnika  
^*Linda Womack   
^Daniella Woolf 
* * * * 

Other encaustic artists & organizations you might be interested in:   
Angeline Marie—Art Studio Reports  
Elise Wagner 
Encaustic Arts by Mazarine Treyz 
Encausticopolis 
Lisa Kairos—Open Studio 
Mary Black 
Painting with Fire
Pam Nichols 
Pistrucci Artworks Blog 
Shawna Moore 
WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists