Process of an Encaustic, Mixed Media Painting

I was looking forward to working an a larger board for the latest "The Lightness of Being" It is 47"  x 35 1/2 "

It all started out well. After a couple of layers of milk paint, I added the watercolor and diluted inks. I begin each painting in the series this way. I continued for several days building the under painting; adding and removing until I felt it was ready to be encompassed in a couple of layers of clear encaustic. After I applied and smoothed  the clear and white encaustic, I did a lot of scraping and added stenciled patterns.

After more than a week of working on this, my energy faded and my eyes stopped seeing. Each painting in this series has its own life, but this one seemed to be getting darker and heavier. I stopped, hung in on a wall and will live with it for a while, and see if I feel more comfortable with it and move on to the next one in the series.

The first day.

The third day

5th day

Finished?

detail

I did received a surprise award this week for another painting in this series.