UNM Figure Painting Fall 2013: Melting

Technically

Melting is the process during which a solid substance undergoes a phase transition and becomes liquid. Used as an artistic technique, it also generally involves solidification as well as melting, when the substance returns to its solid state.

Beyond this technical definition, melting as a painting technique can really involve any substance, as long as it is liquefied and then (potentially) solidified. In this sense, when you melt something, you are ideally causing a physical change in the binder—from solid to liquid), allowing molecules of pigment to move freely between melted molecules of binder. Melting is also possible via chemical changes in binder composition, though reworking may not be possible.

Depending upon what binder/heat source you choose and what you do to that binder, you can achieve virtually any surface quality and opacity through the use of melting. For example, melted glass can be used as a transparent glaze, but melted acrylic is bound to be opaque. Under different solidification temperatures and pressures, melted metals can be smooth or coarse.

As long as two substances chemically bond, they can be melted and formed into composites, with even more unique characteristics.

The melting point, and ultimately, the level of difficulty it takes to melt/manipulate a substance, is determined by the chemical qualities of a given substance. Obviously, it is a lot easier to melt crayons than it is to melt ingots of colored anodized aluminum.

The substrate used for melting will vary depending on the melting substance. Substances with low melting points, such as wax, can be melted on paper or board. However, substances with high melting points, such as ceramics and metals, will need to be melted/held on a substrate that has a melting point higher than that of the melting substance.

Why Melt

Melting can be used for several different reasons at different points in the painting process. It can be used throughout the painting process, or as a preparations/finisher. It can be used as a stand-alone process, or as a compliment to other media. In the case of encaustics it can be used while painting to further the mixing of colors, or it can be used as a finisher and sealant. PVC thumbtacks can be strategically laid out (examples below) and then melted as a deconstructive tool. Melting can also be used to relieve the artist of control over his or her piece, and let randomness take the reins. Dye doped resins and thermosetting plastics involve permanent chemical changes in binder, which the artist will have to consider during the melting/solidification process.

Clean Up/Safety

Cleaning up melted substances will again vary by substance. Spare melted cheese can be scraped up and used as a taco topping or remelted into a tasty sauce, but melted drops of epoxy resin are likely to harden and remain on the painting studio floor. The artist has to be careful and has to understand the substance that she or he is melting to understand what safety precautions are necessary to take and how the substance can be cleaned up or recycled.

Because most melted substance exist as stable solids at room temperatures, little finishing/sealing is necessary

The lifespan of a melted substance will depend (you guessed it) on the chemical properties of that substance and what environments it is exposed to. Many waxes have very low melting points, consequently waxed paintings may hold pigment well and be resistant to fading but they will be ruined in a car in July. Stained glass windows can last thousands of years if they are not broken.

Melted art:

Rica Maestas