Customer Reviews

Encaustic Art: The Complete Guide to Creating Fine Art with Wax

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is for the beginner as well as the professional encaustic artist. It offers so many ideas and great photos. Many techniques are covered along with a wealth of ideas that I haven't even thought of yet. I am a professional artist and instructor and will definitely recommend this book to my students. There are gallery shots as well as close-up details photos and artists working in their studio. I would love to see a companion book to this one that goes into even more detail on the techniques. Great work Lissa!

If Joanne Mattera's book is the Encaustic Bible Old Testament, Lissa Rankin's Encaustic Art is the New Testament we've all been waiting for. I've bought all of the encaustic books out there, and too many of them are either vague when it comes to technique or focus mostly on the techniques of only one or two artists. This new book distinguishes itself by demonstrating the techniques of many well respected and accomplished artists, in addition to the techniques used by the author. As a textbook, it's clear, concise, easy-to-follow, and comprehensive. But it's more than just a textbook. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking to expand the repertoire of their artistic knowledge, those wishing to better understand encaustic, or even for those just looking for new direction in their art.

My one critique is that I think part of my journey as an artist has been learning my technique by trial and error. This book gives so much detail and so many technique options that I wonder if beginners won't be skipping part of the learning process. By using this book, they will likely skip many of the "mistakes" many artists make while trying to create new effects, "mistakes" that often lead down unexpected creative avenues.

That aside, I think the book is wonderful. You won't be sorry if you buy it.

This book has it all, beautiful photos, great basic information, and the usual encaustic techniques but it goes much further. Using wax for sculpture, printmaking and much more. The quality of the book is really good too, nice paper and lots of great color photos. If you want to learn the basics, or expand your work in wax, I totally recommend this book. You won't be disappointed.

I was up late last night looking through the book and savoring every page. What a wonderful creation! Lissa has integrated the beauty and excitement of encaustic art with an excellent and enjoyable instruction manual as well as sharing the personal touch and variety of individual artists and their studios, all in an aesthetically attractive layout. It is a must for anyone curious about encaustic as well as a comprehensive reference for even the experienced artist working with encaustic! I am honored and proud to have been included in this masterpiece of a book.

A 5 star plus. Although the other encaustic books I've read have also been wonderful, none compare to the information found in Encautic Art by Lissa Rankin. Because I spent my $$$ on paint and supplies instead of the $600. plus travel costs to take a good encaustic class, I had to become very informed before starting. (I wouldn't recommend this unless you are the kind that knows you can pull it off.) I still had many questions that remained unanswered until I read Encaustic Art. It's beneficial to have an array of encaustic books and info., but this will be the book you will go back to review the most.
It's been hard holding off the inspirations with having to learn a new medium but after much study I feel secure and excited to begin to paint; my first project being on 30" x 30" encausticbord. My industrial fan is being installed in my art room and the electrical checked to make sure it can handle the output of all the heating appliances; fire extingusher in place. A word on safety: I had my own stained glass business for 18 years and cannot stress the importance of re-reading the safety section of this book. I got a lot of toxins from my last job so always remember nothing is more important than your health. Thank you Lissa for sharing your encaustic knowledge. I appreciate your hard work. You have put together an excellent book!

Being new to encaustic art I wanted a book with easy to understand content, this book does this and more. I thought encaustic art was fairly limited in its applications but this book has broadened my horizens. It gives detailed information on how to create your own waxes etc. I reccommend to anyone contemplating trying this medium.

This is currently the best book on encaustic painting, by far. Everytime I open it, I learn something new. The photos are great, with many artists and styles represented. It includes cautionary tales about the toxic and dangerous components of encaustic painting. I would recommend this book to anyone doing encaustic painting, at any level of proficiency.

This is a wonderful book. I love it. It has everything you want to know about Encaustic and fills you with enthusiasm. Don't hesitate to buy it!!

This book is extremely helpful for people like me who are just starting out in this challenging medium. Encaustic art is having a tremendous boom right now and a great many professional artists are thinking up new ways to develop it. Encaustics are challenging to neophytes because melting wax is a process that needs a good kitchen, a safe place to melt wax without setting your house or apartment on fire, and safety measures concerning fumes and pigments that contain life-threateninig chemicals. All these issues are covered in detail.

Aesthetically the book is splendid as well; it offers beautiful photos of fascinating work by very gifted and inventive artists. A reader is made aware of different paths that can be chosen in this mediulm

The instructions are extremely clear, always described in stages, 1, 2, 3, etc. At the same time, the level of thinking about the artistic side of things is very high.

The writer is a talented, generous guide whose writing i'm sure would be admired by the top artists she presents as well as the rest of us!

Barbara Guetti

Lissa Rankin, M.D. and author, has outdone herself with this book. From the quality of the paper to the incredibly insightful and helpful contents, this book is surely the winner. For all you newbies and seasoned artists who use beeswax and resin as their medium, you will not be disappointed. Although some of the other encaustic books are helpful, this one says and shows it all.