It’s a bit like watching grass grow…

I’m spending a lot of time today waiting for copper to cool and wax to set. 

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Every time I paint a layer I have to fuse it (heat the surface with my heat gun) and in the process the copper wire balls heat up.  Then I have to wait for it to all cool down and set again so I can paint the next layer (the copper keeps it heat for quite a while – so it is making the process quite drawn out).  

If I moved onto the next layer before it was really cool and set I might dislodge the balls with my paint brush.  In reality there is so little to do until this piece is finished, but it is going to take some time and patients to get there.  I’m not very good at all this waiting business!