Encaustic Tag Plaque

Cheryl Boglioli is such a talented designer. I noticed her as she worked in the Craft and Hobby Industry with different companies and I always admired her design work. When she introduced herself during a tradeshow one year, I was very impressed with her professionalism and eventually ask Cheryl to do her magic on our wood pieces.  I think you’ll agree that Cheryl has provided you with a beautiful design incorporating some fun techniques you might like to try. Thanks Cheryl!

Honeycomb Encaustic Tag

By Cheryl Boglioli

http://cherylswindow.com/

Supplies:

• 1 –Tag Plaque – 9×12, Walnut Hollow® Item #39805
• Layered Hexagons chipboard, UmWow Studios
• Encaustic medium – clear, R&F Handmade Paints
• Encaustic paints,R&F Handmade Paints
  • Black
  • Cadmium Green Pale
  • Indian Yellow,
  • Patching Plaster, DAP
  • PanPastel® colors, Colorfin LLC
    • Turquoise
    • Turquoise Tint
    • Turquoise Shade
    • Phthalo Blue
    • Hansa Yellow
    • Diarylide Yellow
    • Damask type pattern stencil from Fanciful Stencils set, Tattered Angels Glimmer Screens
    • 6×6 Honeycomb Stencil, Heidi Swap
    • 5×8 Dotted Flowers stencil, Dyan Reaveley Dylusions
    • 6×6 Art Is stencil (script), The Crafter’s Workshop

Tools:

• Melting Pot®, Ranger
• Sofft™ tools, Colorfin LLC
  • Art sponges
  • Sofft™ knives & shapers with covers
  • griddle
  • natural bristle flat paint brushes
  • painters tape
  • heat gun
  • nonstick craft mat
  • encaustic loop tool (pottery scraper)

Directions:

1. Melt clear encaustic medium in Melting Pot™ or large tin on griddle.   Melt, black, cadmium green pale & Indian yellow encaustic paint in separate tins on griddle.  (do not heat over 200 F – work in well ventilated area)
2. Lightly sand tag surface and sides if desired.  Tape sides of tag.
3. Apply thin layer of plaster to tag.  Lightly brayer over plaster to create textured surface across entire tag.  Wipe of any on tape.  Allow to dry.
4. Using a palette knife, apply layer of plaster over damask-type stencil in upper right corner and lower left corner.  Wipe of any on tape.  Allow to dry.
5. Using Sofft™ Art Sponge, pounce turquoise PanPastel® over damask-type plaster.  (Be careful not to drag sponge over plaster much or this will tear up sponge)
6. Using round Sofft™ knife and cover, apply phthalo blue PanPastel® to center circle of damask-type plaster.
7. Using Sofft™ Art Sponge, pounce hansa yellow PanPastel® over textured plaster in upper left and bottom right corners.  (White plaster will still be visible in deep crevices across entire tag!)
8. Apply layer of clear encaustic medium across entire tag.  (you may need to wipe brush on paper towel before dipping back into clear medium).  Fuse* layer with heat gun.
9. Apply another layer (or two) of encaustic medium across entire tag, fusing each layer.
10. Smooth surface with loop tool if needed.
11. Paint indian yellow encaustic medium over honeycomb stencil in top left and bottom right corners.  Remove stencil and very lightly fuse.
12. Paint cadmium green pale encaustic medium over honeycomb pattern.  Allow to cool completely.
13. Using loop tool, lightly scrape green paint to reveal honeycomb pattern underneath (as much or little as desired).  Lightly fuse.
14. Apply one or two layers of clear medium.  Fuse.
15. Apply script stencil to both left corner.   Using small brush, apply good event layer of black encaustic paint onto across stencil.  Remove stencil before completely cooled.  (Some text will likely lift with stencil.  This is ok) Lightly fuse.   Repeat process to upper right edge.
16. Apply a tiny bit of clear encaustic medium to honeycomb chipboard and embed into wax on lower right edge.
17. Apply 2-3 layers of clear encaustic medium, fusing between each layer.  Allow to cool.
18. You can lightly fuse multiple times to create a smoother surface or leave it textured as desired.
19. Apply turquoise tint PanPastel® through honeycomb stencil in random places across tag.  Very lightly fuse**.
20. Apply diarylide yellow PanPastel® through dotted flowers stencil (using the dots only) in random places across tag.  Very lightly fuse**.
21. Using small paintbrush or metal dropper, drip Indian yellow encaustic medium from upper left corner.  Lightly fuse leaving the dimension from drippage.
22. Allow tag to completely cool.
23. Remove tape being careful along edges of encaustic surface.
24. Apply turquoise shade PanPastel™ to sides of tag buffing around surface edges to frame surface.
25. Apply thin coat of clear encaustic medium to sides, wiping with paper towel before cooled just to seal PanPastel®.   Lightly fuse.
26. Allow tag to completely cool (overnight is recommended) and buff with soft cloth.

* Fuse only until wax is shiny.  Do not re-melt wax or overfuse.

** Very lightly fuse over stenciled PanPastel®.  If you overfuse, PanPastel® will shift.

Here are a few close up photos so you can see some of the detail work.