sometimes, i just don't know what to do in class
usually i have some thoughts or ideas and prepare all week
but this time i had nothing!
so for inspiration i went looking through my texture file
i have all kinds of photos i've taken
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ffe5d44TNpNjNbXh69gmPAzYP_w2R-Yt9MPR7szCqPtbmiUF3OLNrVPk-oRZdfg62t1hbGuw-DXM3rHf_6Ys11kxP3wV58dWC0_LcmS8iQQbaEzBtd7kKoj5EXkxrI8RlGswnJMSbng/s400/e_grunge.jpg)
this metal sign i found downtown
( i usually shoot everything in sight)
you just never know what they will look like
after playing around in ps
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsxjRTncVqWFcjF3eFdSspy8qKKhzBNHhA7dhSlG0IRA03EX_ob8JdwUMVr0XhxFYwD7c_KD5XDSo7UBeggfpznCNBHvOcWHVk_uFOliFz_IkZ8eU2tZEg9JIf0M5oUNPPX5pXGaJQuY/s400/e_grunge2.jpg)
with just a few clicks
i changed the brightness/contrast
and cropped it square
encaustic and oil
18 x 18
with help from my teacher
we figured out how to approach this project
for the background lots of cream, taupe and white
i used the iron to mix the colours, smooth
and create subtle texture all at once
i added the circles with the lid from a metal tin
and then mixed oil paint with lots of mineral spirits
and started dripping the paint
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVAwizoEyYMnS2X7CbPcXIPB41_Y-xlQwbWJ1WUFpgewEDBiymQ8sXIpByoMG2XdblDQTP0OTyh13HqIZnf1hTtt17oofRm7NV3MAk5DtxExq3-bXVQ1181cioJ4crek1cKHkPsYcf1g/s400/encaustic_mar3detail.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iydWqebomHMFNjtKt20paIHyyBao5dz6w-UivjYKIh71aBdyTsOw8cN3MwaCqQkeGXz4QwsyQ3MN9kcEW8ZyA81T_pSOJmp5FDJwxtYcbisA_L7ls3dME4-SbiTPp9PDvcDvJu7m0Fo/s400/encaustic_mar3detail2.jpg)
i'm not used to having to wait for things to dry
so i will add more paint when it does
so far i'm liking this new technique
i'll have to experiment some more