An Unconventional Path

Melanie Williams

I am captivated by Wales, a land of legends, language, culture, and spectacular scenery. You can experience some of that magic at Visit Wales.

I'm inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty, and I use the alchemy of wax and fire to meticulously layer and weave the wax to depict the ruggedness and texture of my local ancient landscape.

I use many forms of hot and cold wax tools and unusual markmaking materials to create texture and depth in my paintings. My process has developed over many years of practice and experimentation, which now allows me to create a landscape that captures the rugged and varied elements of our environment.

I tend to use some unconventional techniques and styles within the medium, having developed my techniques through experimentation. Some produced great results and others are never to be repeated!

I’ll guide you through my process, which is also shown on an accompanying free video full of tips and ideas.

Encaustic

500 x 400 mm (20 x 16 in)

I have chosen an ancient Roman Bridge - Pont Rhufeinig in Wales - as my inspiration for the “Uncharted” article.

I always begin my work on high-quality birch-faced ply, sourced from my local builders merchant. I buy it in 2.4m x 1.2m sheets, and then cut it down to the size I wish to work on. I find this works out much cheaper than buying pre-cut panels.

The first step on the panel is to lay down a few coats of clear encaustic medium before layering the diferent hues to create a sense of depth and colour. I always tend to begin with the sky and slowly work down the painting. Some parts are painted with colours mixed directly on the hot tray or from oddments from previous paintings. I continue adding layers sometimes rubbing R&F oil stick, Sennelier oil pastel, or oil paint into the surface. Each layer is fused using the torch to create more mellow efects or happy accidents.

(Video 05:00)

Next, I begin laying down the background colours further down the image using various techniques, such as heating the panel to accept a smooth layer of colour, dry brushing or mark making with brushes, or palette knives.

This then allows me to add pastel and rub it into the texture created previously.

When I fuse I use diferent flames or heat guns to create the efects of grass and hillside in the background. Diferent heat sources allow diferent melting points which help you to either retain the texture or make the surface smooth.

To develop the outline of the bridge, I used a hot stylus and laid down pure encaustic medium to which I added dry brush strokes.

I then added more pastel into the nooks and crannies and fused.

I worked slowly across the bridge creating each rock individually. Its good to keep the photograph where you can constantly refer to it as you paint the rocks in the scene. The clear encaustic medium was similar in colour to the rocks and was useful as highlights.

(Video 23:00)

Tip: Keep your brushes on your hot tray so they are ready to paint, and they will also retain their heat for longer.

(Video 28:00)

The foreground rocks were created in a similar fashion using a stylus to mark out the outline and then filling in with dry brush strokes in slightly diferent hues. l will use palette knives, brush strokes, and sometimes tin foil to create indents into the wax. Once the rocks are drawn, the sense of depth is created by outlining the rocks in darker tones and adding the shadows.

Tip: If you push a ball of tinfoil into warm wax you can create some lovely texture.

I will always study the light in a photograph or scene, making sure I know where the shadows should fall. In this picture the light is directly overhead so the shadows are all below and slightly to the left. Sometimes I will recreate a painting from the same photograph but put in long shadows for evening, etc.

Tip: Keep your shadows constant throughout your painting to create that realistic feel.

Tip: Use a craft heat gun for fine detail as the power and heat setting is lower, enabling you to just fuse without over melting the wax.

I used a small amount of shellac just to create the look of tangled foliage or grasses. I applied the shellac with a rigger brush and worked on small areas at a time before rapidly fusing with a chef’s blow torch, creating a wet shellac burn.

(Video 31.22)

Tip: A chef’s torch is great for fusing the fine detail as the flame can be turned down low. If used carefully in a sweeping motion you can retain the texture you’ve created.

I often don't wish to create an exact copy of a photograph or scene. I try to create a “sense of place” and a feel for the landscape. Our Welsh weather is notoriously moody with brooding skies one minute and fabulous light the next. To add drama to the sky, I painted in more clouds with wax and followed on with oil pastel, which was then fused creating a moody heavy feel.

(Video 32:33)

(Video 35:35)

I used a fine sharp tool to scrape back into the wax to create grasses on the horizon line.

Tip: Use a needle or pin for fine detail.

(Video 37:10)

Later, I added more grasses using a bristle brush in rapid upward movements. I then fused with the chef’s torch so that I didn't over melt the wax. The shadows were added under the rocks with a brush, and a hint of the colour of the hillside was added to the water.

Tip: Paint your foliage in the way it grows to create those fine tips on the ends of your grasses, leaves, or twigs.

I find that it is very useful to transfer each painting to my easel and step back to really look at the work on a regular basis. Through doing this you are able to notice those small changes needed to correct the horizon line or shadows.

Tip: Always step back from your work and view from a distance.

The painting of the Pont Rhufeinig took over 10 hours to complete. It is 500 mm x 200 mm in size.

I enjoy seeing the wiggly edges created by the dripped wax, and consequently, I have the frames professionally made for each individual piece of work.

Wintery Tryfan

Encaustic

500 x 400 mm

Next Page

Clogwyn Du’r Arddu

Encaustic

500 x 400 mm