Ceracolors Class at Artiscape: A New Kind of Wax

The third class I taught at Artiscape* was "Ceracolors Still Lifes." Ceracolors are water-soluble wax paints--don't ask me how this is possible, but it is, and it's great! I seem to have photographed only a portion of the pieces created in this very fun class, but the images posted here will give you an idea of the variety of effects you can get with this paint. 

*See my Artiscape collage class information and photos on my other blog.

Ceracolors can be used with water, like gouache or watercolor, or mixed with Ceracolors fluid and gel mediums. Several students have told me they are going to continue in this medium after class. In class we used this paint on paper and on panel. Amazingly, the birch panels didn't have to be gessoed before painting! 

Creating Oil and Cold Wax Pieces in 5 Hours

Putting down the first layers

I recently returned from teaching at Artiscape, an amazing retreat organized by European Papers. I had so much fun at this retreat in Dublin, Ohio. 

The format of the retreat is to have shorter classes with a five hour maximum. Did I dare have just five hours to teach oil/cold wax painting? Well, I've gotten more daring the older I get, so I went for it and it worked out. Students quickly got it that they needed to work on a whole bunch of pieces at once. They worked on Arches oil paper and stone paper and they learned how to use a solvent to create a looser paint film while still retaining the cold wax look. 

Students also made good use of the techniques of incising into a wet or partially dry paint layer and of scraping back paint with a pottery tool to reveal previous layers. The shiny areas you'll see in some of the pieces were made by adhering Mona Lisa Simple Leaf onto the support using the cold wax as a glue. Some of the pieces incorporate collage, using a variety of lightweight papers.

I didn't do so well at photographing the work, unfortunately. I've made heavy use of the "unsharp mask" filter in many of the images, and there's my shadow quite visible in most pictures. Still, I hope you can get an idea of the boldness and gusto of the class participants!

  One of the best parts of the class is when we tear off the frog tape masking the edges of the painting. (See above and below.)

Here's some bold abandon!

It's important to comb your painting!

Okay, I'm realizing how long this post is going to be. But it's almost all pictures, so keep scrollin' and enjoy the variety of joyous work.

Yes, Virginia, you can add rubber stamping to your piece.