Video: what is encaustic painting?
By Amy Macpherson
Published on 29 November 2017
Encaustic is an ancient painting method in which wax and pigment are fused onto a surface with heat. Watch a demonstration of this versatile technique by Royal Academician Terry Setch, recorded in his Cardiff studio.
How to paint in encaustic
The ancient Egyptians painted with hot wax and so did Jasper Johns in his iconic Flag paintings. The technique is called encaustic, after the Greek word for “burned in”. Royal Academician Terry Setch has been painting in encaustic for 40 years, and here he demonstrates some of the wax-wrangling techniques he uses to create his multi-layered and richly textured paintings.
Jasper Johns: ‘Something Resembling Truth’ is in the Main Galleries at the RA from 23 September to 10 December.
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