What is Encaustic Painting?
In fine art, the word "encaustic" describes both the paint and painting technique which uses hot beeswax to bind colour pigments and to facilitate their application to a surface. An invention of Greek art, its name derives from the Greek word meaning "burnt in". The paint is applied to the painting surface (usually a wooden panel, or a wall), after which it is reheated to fuse the paint into a uniform enamel-like finish, devoid of all brushmarks. Ancient artists applied the paint using brushes and spatulas to create the image. On completion, they applied a flaming torch to the painting's surface to reheat the wax, causing it to meld permanently with the pigments and with the panel.