Part Two: Using CeraColors

So the goal was to use Cera Colors in as many ways as possible. But first, in order to benchmark the product, I decided to keep it simple. There are two substrates here. The bottom is traditional beeswax base with etching, and the top is a piece of student grade artist canvas. Nothing special just white linen wrapped board. You can pick up at the art supply or dollar store.

The First Stroke of color

Buttery Smooth Brush Control

As Mary Poppins says... "Start at the very beginning, a very good place to start" 

I wanted to know how this product responded to being used straight up, no chaser. Pure full color. Hot out of the tube. And yes, there you have it, thick rich color right out of the tube. Look at that, the first application straight out of the tube yields a delicious dense opaqueness that is really promising. Zoom to see the beautiful texture. This red nicely holds a brush stroke.

After that pleasing start, I decided to put this paint through the paces and try some dfferent techniques. Starting from the left corner, I experimented with the yellow. You can see in the top left corner, full strength color applied, and lower left some red. I also introduced blue on the left side, next to the two reds. WATERED down, yes..... 

Newsflash...this stuff rocks like water color!  OH MY Gawd!

Whoah.

The yellow was applied with a dabble of water making the sun rays. The Blue...full strength and the blue in the triangle was applied as a straight up wash and I used a silicon tipped tool to gently make a lame batik effect... I am sure you can do better.

Also next to the sun rays I made long and short marks. if you look closely, you can see four downward strokes. The first one is full yellow, the second one watered down, the third, full strength again and the forth water color consisency. Both give interesting opaqueness or translucency whichever you prefer.

The blue in the top center is full strength. As you can see if you look closely, there is a difference in the strength of opacity of the blue when juxtaposed against the yellow full strength. You can see there is a bit more translucency in the blue straight out of the tube. Interesting.

In the right hand side of this panel I laid some color over the incised lines. I also applied color as close to the lines as I could get it. Also, in the farther lower right hand side, I butted two colors full strength, non-diluted, next to each other in a thin "wash" to see if it would bleed. It did not. More whoah.

Nice thick lines, or nice thin wash

Check out the yellow at the left top. See that little ribbon / curl bit. Yes it is raised. You can paint thick lines like a traditional oil and build up texture. After two months of curing it is still prominent in the piece

So if your painterly style rocks with more dimension like the old masters, you will be pleased with the consistency.

The last image shows a close up of Cera Wax applied with a just a kiss of heat from a butane torch, warming the pigmented wax just to the point of light sheen. This allows the pigment to settle into the next layer. Once you get a little glisten, STOP no need to go too melty. This mixture seems to have the ability to marry into the bottom layer without losing identity. No color loss or unintended translucency. I like that.

Warmed up with heat

Stay tuned for the next installment of my experience with Cera Colors Encaustic paint.

Does this Stuff Play Well with Others? I'm going to take Cera Colors to the playground with previous projects that have been sitting on the shelf, in need a little something...to see if Cera can provide what's missing.