Cryptic Encaustics with Linda Lenart McNulty: Encaustic Jewelry Making DeMystified

In just a few weeks, Linda Lenart McNulty will be teaching some amazing encaustic workshops at Art & Soul Portland.  One of which is Wearable Encaustic Shrines where she will show you how to create beautiful, wearable works of art like these...

I mean... seriously... are these gorgeous or what? And just to get you excited about what she has to offer, Linda has graciously allowed us to share a bit of her encaustic techniques right here on our blog! So... take it away, Linda....

Greetings fellow artists!

I’m Linda Lenart McNulty, the artist/owner of Luminous Encaustics (luminousencaustics.com), and I want to share an technique I created called “Cryptic Encaustics”.

Encaustic art involves the painting and pouring of warm, pigmented beeswax and tree sap, which is then layered and scraped, revealing its naturally luminous and transparent nature. Encaustic Painting is transformed into a wearable form in my work and classes. If you’re not familiar with encaustic art or with encaustic jewelry, take a look at this Step-Out below.

P.S. I’ll be teaching at Art & Soul in Portland in a couple weeks so come take a workshop or come introduce yourself to me at the Luminous Encaustics Table on Vendor’s Night for more encaustic surprises (I’ll have encaustic jewelry kits too!)! See you there!

~Linda

Luminous Encaustics Cryptic Encaustics Jewelry Kit      

Cryptic Encaustics…Opening the Kit       

Cryptic Encaustics…Lots of Goodies…       

Melt one of the Luminous Encaustic Wax Blox. I like to choose the lightest color to start.

Warm one of the Bezels.         

Pour the warm encaustic wax into the warm bezel, up to the top but not overflowing.

Pour off the extra wax to save it. Aluminum or Silicone are good choices.

Melt your next Wax Blox right on the griddle.         

Warm your brush on the griddle and begin coating your first layer with your next color.

Fuse the two encaustic layers together. Fuse with a micro torch, embossing heat gun, or large heat gun. When the wax looks transparent it is fused so move along.

Wipe your griddle to remove any excess color. I left a little to mix into my new color.

Melt your third color choice right on the griddle. I use the two mid-range colors for my middle layers, saving the darkest color for last.

Paint as much as you like onto your piece and fuse.       

Lightly warm your stamp on the griddle after wiping it clean.   

Rub a little olive oil on the stamp (the side with the grooves).  

Press firmly into the wax.           

You really want to dig the stamp into the wax. I like to make the wax displace itself off to the sides. This adds for interest and mystique later.

Lift off the stamp.        

Use other mark making objects around the house. Metal and wood work the best…

Warm them on the griddle!         

Oil the tool and press deeply to displace the wax.          

Oil and press…..       

Oil and press…..       

Oil and press……      

Melt your darkest color Wax Blox on the griddle.       

Load your brush with color and really get it into the crevices.        

After a while, switch colors for interest….        

Continue loading and painting into the crevices.         

Fuse this lumpy mess!        

Now to cool the wax so you can scrape. Let it rest at room temperature a while, then try dunking it into a cold glass of water or the fridge (if you are impatient like me!)

Scraping is the most fun, Now you get to see what you’ve made! Leave dark areas for mystique but scrape a few areas down to that first pale color.

Warm your tools and wipe with a paper towel to clean them.    

For a little more intrigue, rub some oil on the surface of the finished piece, then rub oil paint onto select areas. If you change your mind, it will rub right off because of the oil. I mixed veridian and ultramarine with black. Fuse lightly to lock the oil paint in place.

I added a little ribbon and wire on jump rings (go to the Wearable Shrine Directions for instructions). Cryptic Encaustics!

Cryptic Encaustics – by Luminous Encaustics (and now by you!!) 

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Well... thanks so much Linda, for sharing this comprehensive and delightfully creative step-by-step tutorial! We're so excited to have you at our Portland Art & Soul event this year... 

Linda Lenart McNulty 

Portland Art & Soul 

Wearable Encaustic Shrines - Thursday, April 10, 2014 

Encaustic Daguerreotype Paintings - Friday, April 11, 2014 

Luminous Layering in Encaustic Painting - Saturday, April 12, 2014 

So check out her classes and the entire Portland event on our website ArtAndSoulRetreat.com!