Wednesday, January 27, 2010

beeswax part 3

Today I want to show you what happens to photographs when you play with beeswax.
I have these photos cropped to a smaller size so I'll be able to dip them into my mini crock of melted wax.
They're 2X2, 4X3, and 4X4.


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Before dipping, I sand them with sand paper.
For these photographs, I've sanded them all differently and to varying degrees.


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This one had the edges sanded and then I did a swirl motion overall.


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Next I drop the photo into the melted wax.
I let it sit for about a minute.
This allows the paper to come to the same temperature as the wax and I get a finer coating of wax that way.
Otherwise it comes out blobby and white with a thick wax.


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I use tweezers to pull it out and I let it drip for about a minute.


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Next, I use my bone folder to scrape of most of the wax.
When I do that, it takes some of the photographic coating as well and I get an even more distressed effect.


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Here's a closeup of what I mean:


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You can repeat the dip and scrape method as often as you want to.
Repeated dips and scrapes give you an increasingly altered effect.
Here are my final photos after dipping and scraping 2 times:











Let me know if you're trying this at home - or if you have any questions.
I some more fun with beeswax posts planned for later this week too.

20 comments:

*jean* said...

o that is awesome! i love how these look!!! thank you so much for sharing your technique!! i can't wait to try it! i love sandpaper too, i use it all the time....on everything!

ELK said...

you are a marvel..i am amazed!

Genie said...

Thanks for sharing, have got lots of old photos to use.
have a great week

nancy neva gagliano said...

can't wait...FONDUE PHOTOS...great party idea, a bunch of us around pots of wax, dipping...
i'll send results!

Terri Kahrs said...

These are AWE-some, Kimmie! I've got to get try this when I have a bit of time to play. The results are amazing! I can see these paired with fabric for great assemblages! Thanks so much for sharing this great technique. Hugs, Terri xoxo

nancy neva gagliano said...

one question. do you use the little pot of beeswax inside? since it doesn't have pigment in it, it seems like it would be ok...just wondering.

Annette Q said...

Oh wow, these are incredible. Love the effects...will definitely need to try this sometime, just need to buy the gear first!:-)

Renee Howell said...

WOW! Thanks Kimmie - this looks like something I can do with my limited time for art. I'm buying a little crock pot thing and wax this weekend! Smiling at the prospect.

Chriss Rollins said...

Kimmie wow amazing I need a melting pot...wonger if my pal Chris has one...lol.
I will invite her over with it.

The staircase is my fave and then the donkeys.

also can I join in your tea tuesday.

chriss x

shayndel said...

Great tutorial and great effects!
I wonder what it would be like to dip small objects in Bees-wax too.
Enjoy!!

Chriss Rollins said...

thank you Kimmie,

ok, you say that you melt the wax in 'this thing'

is this thing electric or do you put it in the oven or on the top of the cooker or maybe yhe microwave... My friend Chriss says that she has a wax pot for manicure of hands and will bring it over next time she come...not sure I can wait that long... so is your crock on the hob to heat the wax... my hob is gas.

and thanks for the invite to T Tuesday, i will be there with my Yorkshire tea lol.

over at this addy

http://thepapergirls.blogspot.com/

sorry do not know how to do a link here.

have a good weekend.

chriss x

Rosie said...

Hmmm I can see that I really NEED one of these melting thingies! It can join the soldering iron I got last year and haven't got out of the pack yet .....

sukipoet said...

fabulous technique. my melting pot and wax are packed for some kind of mythical but hopefully real at some point move but i itch to try this.

Beverly Ash Gilbert said...

Kimmie - LOVE it! Thank you for sharing your process (beautifully woven in amongst your tea posts).

Jane said...

What an interesting idea. Great effect!

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

you are making magic with beeswax and paper Kimmie!

thanks so much for sharing your process, very inspiring and beautiful!

have a lovely weekend!
oxo

BadPenny said...

thanks Kimmie - I'm seeing things I want to try all the time x

heather noye said...

i've never used this method with wax but i love how your pics turned out! gonna have to try it now :) thanks!

ooglebloops said...

These are great - I especially love the mule photo!!!

ArtPropelled said...

Such an interesting post! Renee Howell pointed me in this direction and you've given me quite a few tips to keep in mind for when I finally start playing with wax. Something I'm hankering to do!