FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q - Do you really use a travel iron when you paint?
A - Yes. For many pictures it is the main tool. For larger pictures a full size domestic iron is sometimes used. I also use a heated stylus, and occasionally a hot air blower or a hot plate.
Q - Do you make your own waxes? If not where do you get them?
A - No. I get them from a company called Arts Encaustic in Wales
Q - How on earth can anyone paint with an iron?
A - With difficulty! However, with the right wax, substrate and iron temperature, applying the wax to the substrate with the iron produces effects that can be used as components of a picture. Read About Encaustic Art.
Q - Are the waxes a proper artists' medium?
A - Yes. They are made with the same type of pigments used in oil paints, but because they do not oxidise, they maintain their brilliance almost for ever.
Q - Who taught you to paint this way?
A - Nobody. I taught myself with the help of whatever educational materials are available from Arts Encaustic.
Q - Do you paint on canvas or boards?
A - Neither. To obtain the random 'patterns' which are the building blocks of many of my paintings, one needs a special surface with the right degree of absporbancy. It is known as 'encaustic card'
Q - Some of your picture look fairly 'normal' like oil or acrylic paintings. How do you paint those?
A - Where an oil paint artist would use a brush, I use a heated stylus.
Q - Why on earth do you paint with an iron?
A - Because I have no formal art training, and I prefer impressionism to graphic images - neither of which I can do. The 'patterns' produced by the iron have their own distinctive impressionistic appearance, and I seem to have been given a talent to paint this way.
Q - What do other 'normal' artists think of this method of painting?
A - Some are 'sniffy' about it, but most of those I have met have been very intrigued. In fact there is a website to which I used to belong called FanArtReview which is a platform for fellow artists to appraise each others' work. By and large the reception of my pictures on the site had been most encouraging.
Q - What about the public? What do they think?
A - As with all forms of art, some people love it and some are disdainful or disinterested. However, many have complemented me on the range of styles they find in my work
Q - Are there many artists who paint this way?
A - There are many hobbyists, but not so many trained artists. Those who have tried it find it very difficult because their training is not compatible with this approach.
Q - Do you sell many of your paintings?
A - Before I became disabled, and was able to do demonstrations and talks about encaustic painting, the paintings sold very well. Including small originals, I have sold over 500 pictures in about 15 years. Because I am not personally able to sell on the Internet, I have yet to discover it they will sell on the net or not.
Q - What is your returns policy?
A - We want you to be happy with your purchase. If a picture you buy does not come up to your expectations, we will gladly exchange it for one of equal value. Customer Satisfaction
Q - Your pictures are not very large. Do you paint bigger ones?
A - The bigger the image, the more difficult it becomes to spread the wax smoothly across the base. The ideal wax sizes for this are A6 and A5, although on a good day, A4 is reasonable. When mounted and framed the picture sizes become (C)10" x 8", (A)14" x 11", and (J) 20" x 16". Prints can be larger. Some techniques lend themselves to painting bigger pictures, but the sizes given are quite adequate for a domestic environment.
Q - Do you sell greetings cards?
A - Yes. We are currently considering how best to display and price them on the website. We don't think people will buy single cards, so we must consider selling them in packs of, say, six cards at an attractive price.
Q - Do you sell encuastic painting equipment and materials?
A - Not normally. However we are currently holding a Clearance Sale of such items in which discounts of up to 25% are offered (mainy 20%).
Q - I tried to buy a calendar, but when I pressed the 'Proceed' button I was returned to the Home Page. Why was that?
A - Some pages on the site, concerned with buying, are only accessible by people who have joined up as Members. When a non-member tries to access a page from which a purchase can be made, he/she is denied entry to the page and is returned to the Home page. Since that question was asked, the number of inaccesible pages has been decreased..
Edenborough Encaustics Online 01959 522411
