Luminous Layering

Suggested Supplies

MUST HAVES:

  1. An electric griddle, skillet, or frying pan - look at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. for a used one. My first one was very small and I purchased it on Amazon.

  2. Encaustic medium (a mixture of purified beeswax and damar resin) - R&F is the main supplier of encaustic supplies, and also a good source for safety information concerning working with encaustics. Their website is here.

  3. Heat gun. The kind from the hardware store. The craft-type that is used for embossing and such is not hot enough to fuse your wax.

  4. Aluminum loaf pan to melt wax in. (from the grocery store) - must fit into your skillet/pan

  5. Natural bristle brushes, like cheap chip brushes from the hardware store, or Chinese Hake brushes.

  6. A spoon for burnishing.

  7. Your favorite scissors

  8. Watercolor paper – I use 140 lb. cold press (9”x12” pad)

  9. Glue stick – I like UHU or Elmer’s X-treme. I use a variety of adhesives - acrylic mediums don't work well with encaustic, so I recommend YES!

  10. Paste, Nori Paste, or wallpaper paste.

  11. 5”x5” wood panel or larger - at least two

  12. Variety of ephemera – old books, magazines, etc. plus scrapbook paper, etc.

OTHER NICE TO HAVES:

  1. Surface thermometer.

  2. Parchment paper.

  3. Clear gesso.

  4. Spring clips. or wood spring-type clothespins

  5. Infrared thermometer.

  6. Clay tools, including ceramic loop, incising tool, etc. or Dental Tools

  7. Single edge razor blade.

  8. Silcone trivet.

  9. Silicone baking mat.

OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT:

  1. Oil paint sticks.

  2. Cooking oil or coconut oil.

  3. Pastels or pan pastels.

  4. Watersoluble crayons.

  5. India ink - white or colors.

  6. Encaustic gesso.

  7. Tin of white encaustic paint.

  8. Graphite sticks or watersoluble graphite (you can even use the graphite from the hardware store for lubricating locks!)