Melt Their Minds!
Heat It Up
While in our homeschool unit about wax, I wanted to allow plenty of time in our study to get hands-on with the substance. There is so much learning to had inside of everyday items and seemingly odd topics of study. I absolutely love introducing those types of topics to show my kiddos that learning is all around us, and even in the simplest of items- all you need to do is look closely!
With wax being so malleable, it makes for a great art medium. I was certain to include the most popular use for wax, by dipping and molding our own candles, but I was also inspired by a different style of wax art- encaustic. Beyond beautiful and impressive is this technique of painting with heated wax. Encaustic painting dates back as far as the 5th century B.C. and is still a favored technique today, used by famous artists such as Jasper Johns, Pamela Smith Hudson, and Betsy Eby.
Although my little artists may not quite be to their level yet, encaustic art was definitely an art technique I wanted to introduce them to, and give them the joy of playing around with.
So off to the studio (also called our kitchen) I went to put the heat on our new found art style.
Even if a wax unit study isn't in your immediate future, experimenting with wax painting can be a beautiful and inspiring art project for you and your budding artists at home.
Get creating!
Encaustic Art For Kids
What You'll Need:
Various crayons of choice
Old mini muffin pan
Paint brushes
Paper or canvas
Plastic bag
Paper towels
Note: I chose to use old/broken crayons for our purposes, but you may choose beeswax/paraffin wax along with powdered pigments for the traditional method.
Let's Make It:
Step 1: Prepare the art stations. Cover the workspace with plastic. Lay down a section of paper towels on top of the plastic. Place the paper/canvas on top of the paper towel section. Have paint brushes readily available.
Step 2: Prepare the palette. Unwrap the selected color crayons and break them into smaller bits. Place the colored bits into the muffin pan. Mix multiple colored bits together for additional color options. Place the pan into a 300 degree preheated oven. Allow the wax to melt for 15 minutes.
Step 3: While the wax is melting, have your artist sketch out a picture or drawing onto their paper/canvas to serve as a template.
Step 4: USE CAUTION. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cutting board or cooling rack. Ensure all artists are aware to not touch the pan, as it will be hot.
Step 5: Allow your artist to dip their brushes into the heated wax and enjoy painting their masterpiece. Work in a timely manner to ensure that the wax paint doesn't harden before use. Once completed, allow the masterpiece to dry/harden.
We loved using wax as a medium as it added texture and dimension to the project, and could be applied in layers to it give depth. Just a really fun and interesting medium to create with.
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