Enkaustikos Wax and Mediums

What attracts artists to the encaustic medium?

There are so many reasons, and with our modern technology, getting involved in the encaustic medium has never been easier.

Working in the encaustic medium offers a whole array of opportunities. It lends itself to all styles of genre. Encaustic is a tremendously versatile medium. You can paint, print, collage, and sculpt.

It is the perfect partner to many mixed media applications such as photography, paper arts, and digital art. Mix your own colors, create dimensional textures or surfaces smooth as glass, work in thin transparent glazes or heavy impasto; the choice is yours.

Today, the encaustic medium is experiencing a renaissance. Encaustic is truly unique enjoyed by contemporary artists, students, and professionals alike as evidenced by annual conferences, and trade shows, and the development of organizations all with the single focus on the vitality of encaustic.

USP Refined Beeswax

This beeswax is 100% natural. This wax is United States Pharmaceutical (USP) grade so it has been filtered and purified without the use of harsh chemicals or bleaching agents. It comes in little tiny granules (called prills), just like you see in the photo.

It is often used in cosmetics, medicinal ointments, and pill coatings as it is a high quality, translucent beeswax.  This is the same wax used for Hot Cakes wax paints and mediums.

A note of caution, please do not exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Luster Wax

Luster Wax has terrific characteristics and is a good alternative to Carnauba wax because it is whiter and clearer. This is a high quality, synthetic, non-petroleum wax derived from coal. It can be added to your wax paint to raise the melting point, increase hardness, and increase shine.

[More Information]

Bleached Beeswax

Bleached Beeswax is purified beeswax that acheives its bright white color through a chemical bleaching process. It is typically used for candle making and by oil painters in their painting mediums to matte colors or varnishes.

Sold in easy-to-melt pastilles (thin pellets). We reccomend United States Pharmaceutical (USP) grade Beeswax for encaustic use because it is bleach and chemical free.

XD Wax Medium

XD Wax Medium is a 50-50 blend of damar gum and USP Beeswax. XD Wax Medium gets its name from the eXtra Damar that we add to make it. Our original wax medium is a blend of 1 part damar to 6 parts USP beeswax, so it is no surprise that it behaves differently.

[More Information]

Wax Medium

All Enkaustikos paints begin with our standard wax medium as the binder to which we add the highest load of artist quality pigments. In order to work with our paints successfully, you will want to extend with additional wax medium.

[More Information]

Soy Wax

Soy Wax is an eco-friendly wax for cleaning brushes. Soy Wax is a natural by-product of soy beans used in the food, cosmetic, candle-making industry and art supply industry. Soy wax melts around 120°F making it a suitable choice for cleaning brushes and tools used in the encaustic process. Soy wax is sold in an easy to melt flake form and has an off-white opaque appearance. Do not overheat, heat below smoking temperatures. Soy Wax is not intended to be mixed with encaustic paints.

Slick Wax

This unique synthetic wax was formulated for cleaning your brushes, tools, and even palette between encaustic color changes.

[More Information]

Rabbit Skin Glue

US Rabbit Skin Glue is made from rabbit skin, bone, and tissue. A variety of artists have found a need for this product, whether utilizing it in canvas sizing or preparing a traditional gesso with it. In fact, rabbit skin glue has been used for centuries as a traditional organic sizing material to prepare canvas for oil priming. However, conservation scientists have cautioned painters that rabbit skin glue absorbs atmospheric moisture on damp days and swells while it gives off moisture on dry days and shrinks.

[More Information]