Saturday, August 2nd and Sunday, August 3rd - 10 AM to 5 PM- $365 - All materials included!

Water and wax may not mix, but watercolor and encaustic can! Bridget started out experimenting with using water-soluble media in backgrounds for her encaustic paintings several years ago, and now it’s one of her favorite ways to begin a painting. Bridget used these techniques for a series of encaustic paintings on paper she completed during her residency in Ireland, as well as a series that was shown in the Spartanburg Art Museum.

In this class, students will explore combining various water-soluble media like India ink, watercolor, gouache, graphite, watercolor pencils, and water-soluble crayons with encaustic wax. Traditional watercolor artists will enjoy seeing how encaustic can be used to seal their paintings, as well as add additional mood and depth. Experimental mixed media artists will love creating layered paintings and using watercolor, ink, and even collage to create loose and intuitive starts for their encaustic paintings!

The first day, students will begin painting with various water-soluble media on watercolor paper, Ampersand Encausticbord, and even watercolor paper mounted to panel. Students can also experiment with non- traditional water media like Inktense and water-soluble graphite, as well as collage. Experienced watercolor painters are invited to create more traditional paintings, though the emphasis of the instruction will be on beginner-friendly approaches that emphasize loose and intuitive beginnings. In the afternoon, the class will dive into encaustic, covering safety and basic application methods. Students will learn how to use wax as a resist for watercolor, and will also use water media and ink to create collage elements to layer into their paintings.

The next day, when their paintings are completely dry, students will have the opportunity to apply encaustic medium to seal and enhance their watercolor paintings. Here is where those “intuitive starts” will be resolved into completed paintings! Students will be able to build up layers of encaustic and collage elements and use a variety of mixed media techniques – including oil and pan pastel - to build additional color, texture, and visual elements, as well as adding depth to their work.

Students will leave with multiple completed small works, and as well as a better understanding of both water-soluble media and encaustic!

This class seats 8 students. For any questions regarding our cancellation or transfer policy, please refer to the link in our navigation bar.

Bridget Benton is  the lead instructor in Encaustic Methods,  Nature Print, ecoprint and collage methods at 310 ART. In addition to local teaching, Bridget is a faculty member  of the international encaustic online encaustic masterclass, Painting with Fire, as well as the author of the award-winning “The Creative Conversation: ArtMaking as Playful Prayer”. Teaching credentials include the Creative Problem Solving Institute in Buffalo, NY; the Newport Visual Arts Center in Newport, OR; Art Unraveled in Phoenix, AZ; and Collage in Portland, OR. as well as the Nature Printing Society’s Annual Workshop where she served for several years as the event’s Educational Coordinator.