Encaustic Wax Paintings | Beeswax

The word Encaustic comes from the Greek word encaustikos which means to burn in. Encaustic is an apt term, because encaustic painting is the art of painting with heated wax.

Encaustic medium is made from beeswax mixed with damar resin, and the paint is made by adding pigment to the medium. The wax serves as an excellent binder for the pigment. Encaustic Wax paint can be made at home by mixing pigment in with the medium or it can be purchased online or at most local art stores. Regular beeswax from your local apiarist will work to create encaustics. The medium usually has damar resin added to the beeswax to create a durable finish, a higher melting temperature which provides more stability in the final artwork.

I love working with encaustic wax. Wax can be scraped molded, stamped, stencilled, drawn and more. No matter how I play with wax, it is a versatile and addictive medium to work with.