Hotplate : Elisabeth Van Uden ~ From Hobby to Art

Elisabeth Van Uden

hotplate gallery

Elisabeth Van Uden created a DVD program called:
"Encaustic Art ~ From Hobby to Art"
... that explains through a set of exercises and examples the basics of hot air work and hotplate work.

This first simple example demonstrates coverage of a large card sheet with the roller, then creation of straight lines, curves and pattern marks. All images on this page are shown live on the DVD.

To start off, use paper masking tape to fix the card in place on the hotplate.

Do this so that the card sits square to one end of the hotplate, leaving a space on the glass surface for loading the roller at the other end.

Now crayon on some wax, which will melt upon contact to the heated surface.

This is the blue green colour No.8 in the encaustic art wax block range.

Because another roller is sitting on the loading area this roller is being loaded with a very short stroke. Usually this creates areas of saturation and starvation within the sponge roller (as seen in the application in the next step!).

If possible always use the full length of the cross width so that the whole roller surface absorbs the wax colour evenly.

Now it is clear to see, as the roller is passed over the card initially, that the starved area deposits no colour or wax.

Fortunately, but rolling for long enough the wax that does transfer to the card is then re-absorbed into the sponge roller, slowly making the wax distribution on the card and over the roller more even.

The point of this demonstration is to highlight some of the pitfalls and show some of the simple techniques of rolling on the hotplate.

So after coverage the next main thing is straight lining.

Here a series of straight rolls on the diagonal angle are being done.

... and continued across the entire work area.

A clear line is now formed with a narrow band of the surface wax having been also rolled to the side.

To create a cross hatching the roller must be used at an exaggerated angle so that as little of the roller as possible contacts the surface.

Then the roller is pressed down, lifted up at an angle onto the handle edge of the sponge roller, rotated on marks work in a clockwise direction, then placed down flat again to form the next mark.

Carry on using this lift, rotate, place routine as you go.

All that is now left to do is cleaning up of the glass palette area.

Wipe roughly with some scruffy tissue, then add a bit of clear wax to help wash off any remaining dirt.

A paste blue block (no.31) has been used to create a new pool of colour on the loading area of the hotplate. The roller is charged up here.

Also, with the pastel blue block in hand an initial amount of colour has been melted loosely around the sun, ready to be smoothed out when the rolling begins. This just help speed up the application.

The tools themselves are often sold as decorators filling knives. They are very flexible stainless steel oblongs usually with an indented end where a plastic or taped "handle" is fitted.

These handles enable the metal to be held even when quite heated.

The purple wax background was rollered onto the card first. This is the base into which the knives will work.

Elisabeth uses a reasonable pressure as she swirls the flat end of the blade through the wax colour, creating a trail effect that forms the shape of the individual mussel shell.

The japanese knife is used again, building the numbers of mussel shapes into a body sufficient to create a balanced final image.

Of course, these knives can be placed and lifted off creating oblongs, square shapes, corners and lines. All in all they are a versatile addition to the hotplate toolbox.

Bamboo is one of those pants that has dynamic growth. This image displays one way of using the scrapy wax movers and small sponge rounds.

Initially the card was rolled over with a green encaustic art wax block. Once the wax coating was in place the definition of the bamboo could begin.

One of the large scrapy tools is being used here. First placed, then dragged toward the bottom of the image, a small section of the underlying card is revealed.

The process is repeated and another section is added. It is not long before a whole sectional stem is created.

As the stem gets closer to the "ground" so the diameter of the stem increases. This calls for a wider rounded tool and a small round white block sponge proves to be ideal for this increase in diameter.

It is used in exactly the same process. Place, drag, lift, place drag, lift and so on.

Here the small round white block sponge is being used to add leaf shoots to the stems.

These are created by making short sideways flicks from out of the stem edges, both to left an d right, slightly upward oriented.

A final quick light rolling to disperse a couple of small wax splashes. care is taken to avoid rolling over the actual bamboo stem work or this will be weakened or lost again!

It is a nice subject and a satisfying process to explore, all the tie developing your skill and understanding of how the tools may be used in many various ways.

The background was rollered on then an orange sponge was used to texture some foliage in the form of weeping willow, where the boughs and branches hang vertically trailing their leaves.

Then one swan was formed and we join the process as the second is to be shaped out.

A whole selection of tools can be used once your work gets to the stage of painterly subject matter.

Effects are largely left behind and controlled expression is pursued more carefully, more time is spent chasing that "just right" feeling and ensuring that the visual definition, depth, perspective and colouration are harmonious to the final work.

As in the previous work on this page, Elisabeth has taped the card in place, leaving room for the roller loading strip.

The piece begins with rollering on a two colour background, on e roller with browns, one with greenish tones.

A small roller in brown colour is then used to create an initial outline for the vase shape.

First one side ...

NOw the small scrapy wax mover is being used to draw in the stems of the plant forms that are going to inhabit the glass vase.

The perspective of the stems entering into the water is carefully observed in reality. The as the painting unfolds correct and visually accurate information can be manifest. Observation is so very important if you want to make representational works!

At last, after many movements, many additions and removals, many toning touches and detail adjustments the work is about completed.

Elisabeth did this in front of a running film camera and that is quite a pressure to have to work with. No tie for a minute's contemplation, just get on with it please! You can see this in live action accompanied by restful harp music on the "Encaustic Art ~ From Hobby to Art"

The final work shown on Elisabeth's DVD is this first step to hotplate landscape. You can see more approaches in the hotplate section of this site. Look at John Buckland's approaches and for a couple of water colour paper examples see the section by Michael Bossom too.

So onto this way for landscape - fast and satisfying ...

Tape on the card as before then crayon melt on some white wax over the top sky area.

Add some blue into this, but not too much - the colours are strong.

Now go back to your white block and melt this again, over working the blue that now resides there.

Continue this until the blend of colours has softened somewhat.

Create a small tissue pad by folding a fresh tissue.

Then use this lightly over partial areas of the blue ...

... until a final balance is achieved and the image looks both believable and feels comfortable to the creator's eye.

Many many thanks to Elisabeth Van Uden for facing the live film camera's and sharing her considerable skills and art in a way that makes these beginnings accessible to anyone who wants to venture into this fascinating world of encaustic art hotplate work.