The technique is ancient, the famous Faiyum Mummy Portraits - a type of naturalistic portraits on wooden boards from the Coptic period (during Roman occupation of Egypt).

They belong to the tradition of panel painting, one of the most highly regarded forms of art in the classical world.

Today, encaustic painting has become popular again, Jaspar Johns did some very well known pieces in the 50's and 60's. (The Flag and the target paintings)

The technique: Beeswax and damar resin melted together with pigment, then applied while hot and fluid to a panel, each layer is fused with the previous layer with a hot air gun or torch. How the medium flows with the hot air is often a surprise and part of the magic for me, plus the wonderful smell of beeswax in the studio, the rich transparent surface, smooth or bumpy ---

                            ahah wonderful and delicious --- also an homage to the bees.....

Note: the frames for these (if they are framed instead of being on a 2" deep panel) frames are shadow box frames in black, white or silver the choice has been  made according to the painting colors