Marja-leena: Your new work is very intriguing! I love the idea of layering things - and have been wanting to work in encaustic for quite some time. But, I don't have the work space nor the funds to invest in a whole host of new materials! I still find myself thinking of projects that have layering - I guess that's why I like to work in 3-D.

Glad to see you've broken free of your artist's block!

I'm glad you got out of the rut you were in. I really love where these new works are going!!!

Jackie, thanks! I've not tried encaustic, have you? I wondered about brushing some wax over an inkjet print I did on vellum with the hope that it would become more transparent. I've only worked with wax in batiking - too long ago!

Printfreak, coming from another printmaker, your words make me happy, thank you!

I love the colors in "Untitled."

Dave, glad you like it. I'm quite pleased with how this one turned out.

I don't feel like I can really see the others very well, but I love looking at "Untitled." Like Dave, I like the colors. I also like the balance and interplay of shapes and shadings. I'm interested to see more of what you do with this effort!

MB, thanks. Yes, I realize the wall of prints are hard to make out, which is why I showed a closeup of one. I will post the others as they are completed and given titles, I promise.

These look excitingly interesting. Does the layering lead to the one final layer on the film, or is the film layered on something else - or is that the plan? No matter what, they have a dynamic feeling of life about them. I particularly like the colours of the one you have shown in close-up, but am also attracted to the ones in the top row. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Can I use the first one on the top row in my grad project??

You may have inspired new tactics for me to find new things in my existing work... I'm still hitting dead ends all the time on my project... but I made some good progress today!

I want one of these in my living room when they're ready! They look fantasic!

Omega, the bottom layer is a collagraph on paper, and the top layer is the inkjet printed film. Thanks again for your always positive comments.

Erika, glad you like these! And I'm happy that you're making a breakthrough in your work! But what are you doing still up at 1:30 am? (I know, I know, I always ask that.)

Marja-leena: No - I haven't tried encaustic. I have a friend who has been making alot of encaustic art - and I love her work (but she lives in Alaska, so it's not like I can go use her equipment). She said she didn't buy the expensive heated palet - but uses a teflon-coated electric frying pan, and muffin tins.

I experimented with heated wax over the top of a wooden 'spirit house' I made last year. I don't think I've posted a picture on my blog - it's hard to photograph. It achieved somewhat of the effect I wanted - though it isn't true encaustic.

Jackie, I really don't know much about encaustic, but I've heard the fumes are quite toxic. Plain melted beeswax sounds much safer, so long as the wax is melted in a separate container like the muffin tins and set in some water inside the frying pan. But I'm sure you know that already - it's the batikist and former teacher in me speaking!

I love it. Glad to see you are "playing again" . That's what I call my artwork when I'm doing it. Since I'm exploring what I can do with it. Now I have to look what a collagraph is. I never heard of it.

Cathy, thank you! You'd like to know what a collagraph is? Read this.

Thanks Marja. Sound like lots of fun!!

Ooh, I love the colors! Definitely the one on the bottom, but also interesting to see the others in the upper photo next to each other. Very cool.

Leslee - thanks, glad you like these!