The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax

The reviewer Angel Lee gives an excellent description of this book. I like the book very much and would not be without it. However, in the product description, it says readers "will discover dozens of clear, step-by-step directions detailing how to use these various encaustic techniques in their own art." This is simply not true. My quarrel is not really with the book, which is excellent, but with its blurb not accurately representing the book. Not every book can be everything to everyone, and it doesn't need to be. But when you are buying a book sight unseen over the internet, it does need to be represented accurately. Pages 4-27 comprise a history of encaustic, ancient to modern, including a few Fayum portraits. Pages 29-88 are pictures of the work of encaustic artisits with very spare explanations of technique. Pages 89-109 have a good deal of excellent information on various waxes, heat sources for fusing, pigments and making your own paints, a discussion on brushes, and studio safety. Pages 111-119 are on substrates, and 120-131 on techniques: one page on textured surfaces, one page on smooth surfaces, one page on scraped surfaces, etc. So you should be asking yourself if "dozens of clear, step-by-step directions detailing how to use these various encaustic techniques" would really fit on 11 pages that are themselves half taken up by photos of finished work. Pages 133-137 are about preparing and exhibiting your work. Almost half the book is the portfolio of contemporary encaustic artists, as is reflected in the subtitle of the book. The most substantial parts of this book aside from the portfolio are the sections on wax types, heat sources, making your own paints, studio safety, fashioning substrates, and making sure work is suitable for exhibition.

The package and book inside reeked of cigarette smoke.

Joanne Mattera's The Art of Encaustic Painting should be on your list of encaustic books to own. I'd prefer to give it a 4 1/2 star because it was a a 5 star when written, but in 2011 I believe Lissa Rankin's Encaustic Art is much more informative. Yet there is other information here and I like the Question and Answers that you find throughout the book. And Mattera has also included excellent safety information and shows differnt types of fans, which is I how I decided on purchasing an industrial fan for my art room needs. I appreciate every sincere artist who shares their knowledge. I recommend adding this book to your collection and especially for the beginner.

This is well-written and researched books on encaustic art. You can't go wrong with this author. I have all of her books.

While I could have done without the forward, intro, and Brief history of encaustic painting, this book is well-organized and easy to navigate, and has tons of examples of contemporary encaustic art. The unique thing about this book is the short segment that details exhibiting work, including methods for transporting and promoting your work.Although it's less tutorial than I expected, this book serves as a great reference for contemporary work and innovative application of the encaustic medium.

If you want information as an artist intending to try encaustic paintingthen this is a good book--it covers everything to get started painting withencaustic. Also some information on the ancient Fayum encaustic portraits,Jasper Johns use of encaustic (an interview with him) and examples of the encausticwork of certain other contemporary artists using encaustic techniques and someusing other wax techniques not strictly encasutic

I just love this book!!!! I'm learning encaustic on my own by buying books, doing research on the web and studying ancient encaustic paintings at the Getty. Mattera's book is highly informative, pleasant to read and filled with wonderful examples of encaustic paintings, sculptures, mixed media works and installations. After reading it, I set my own small encaustic workshop in a corner of my studio and I've been churning works right and left. I'm still learning, so this book has become my bible.

This is a wonderful clearly written book for a beginner in encaustic art and then as one understands it more it keeps on filling the learning gaps and is encouraging and illustrative and has kept me diving into it to read more. I highly recommend this book, just wish some of the products listed where more readily available in NZ.

I have been an avid reader of Joannes blog for a couple of years now. She talks beautifully about the shows she attends on there and kindly shares lots of photos of some wonderfully talented artists, however, I was dissapointed to find that this book was not up to expectations. For example the part on image transfer is 6 lines long and there are no photos/step by step pictures of any methods. A considerable amount of the book is a portfolio of encaustic work, which although is nice (not all to my taste) and gives examples across a range of sculptural as well as collage techniques I found, mostly quite flat (but thats personal preference). I suppose I was expecting to see some fine examples of how to create textures in encaustic work along with info on using oils with the medium (I cant recall info on layering wax over oil etc) with examples and ideas of tools to use in terms of household and everyday items and collage/monotype methods. I am a printmaker making textural collagraph plates, and was wanting to see some of the methods I saw in Joannes work in her book, however I didnt find anything more than what I already knew (basic technique). Its nice for a beginner perhaps but nothing new for me.

Hello, the beginner would not need to look further, this publication will take the absolute novice to an advanced stage in a remarkably short time. Bill

Not read it yet but cursory appraisal it looks to be comprehensive and well presented.

Good

great book!