Encaustic medium is made with filtered beeswax and damar resin (crystals), melting them together until they are incorporated. The medium is then filtered again, and poured into molds. This hardens the wax; making it more durable and less likely to develop ‘bloom’ (the whitish sheen that naturally occurs on beeswax.) To use Waxworks Encaustic medium, simply melt it at around 200 degrees F., add colour to it, and paint. (See “How does the encaustic painting process work?” below for more details on process.) Colour can be added by using small chunks of the pre-mixed colour blocks or by squeezing a small amount of oil paint into the wax. Some people like to squeeze out their paint onto paper towel, and then leave it for several hours to remove some of the oil. Do not add more than 25% paint to 75% wax, or you will end up with a wax that won’t harden. Glazes of colour can be made using a very small amount of paint with the Waxworks encaustic medium, leading to beautiful transperancies. Stay away from oil paint with health warnings on the label, Prussian Blue (toxic when heated) and Zinc White (curdles when heated). Ask at your local art supply store when buying paint, explaining that you are using it for encaustic, to get their advice.
