Natural Paint & Plaster

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Our encaustic paints are made with local beeswax, damar tree resin and natural pigments. We use natural pigments made from plants, mushrooms, clay and minerals. Encaustic sets are bundled with 8 handmade cakes of color. The sets are 'bright' and essential'. Please specify your preference and quantity. Each set of 8 cakes is $45.
Click on the Etsy link or email: tobi@periwinkleskies.net to order.

Encaustic Basics:
Tools--Natural hair or bristle brushes, soft or coarse, are useful for a light application. Palette knives and metal spatulas are useful for a dense application. Tjunting (batik applicators) and electric palette knives can be used for fine line work.
Surface--Paint on a rigid surface such as masonite, wood panel or plywood. Paper, canvas or other non-rigid surfaces need a rigid backing such as plywood.
Heat--Melt the wax on an electric skillet, in a crock pot, electric fryer, a hot plate with pans or a heat table. Stability and temperature control are important. Keep the temperature between 165F and 220F. Melt only the wax you need.
Refine--Fuse layers of the painted surface or remove bloom with a heat gun or an incandescent bulb (100-200F); an iron or electric palette knife can be used to fuse small areas).
Brush care--Brushes can be left with pigmented wax on them--the wax will melt off the next time it is used. Or, dip the brush in clear melted wax, wipe it with a rag, wipe it again with vegetable oil to remove wax remnants, wash with soap and water.
Safety--Keep a bucket of water handy in case of a wax burn. Don't peel off the wax, the wax will flake off when submersed. Have aloe or burn cream on hand. Wax is combustible at 468F. Use an extinguisher (not water). Keep heating elements wax free. Use a safety strip to plug in (don't overload circuits). Ventilate the work space with an open window, a fan or an overhead vent. Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed shoes.
Unique Qualities--Beeswax creates a luminous surface. It can be polished with a clean cotton cloth. It has a sweet aroma and a natural quality that distinguishes itself from other mediums. It is a forgiving medium that can be scraped off. It can be layered to create dimensionality. It can be used in an additive or substractive manner--for sculpting, scraping, digging or incising.
Caution--Wax is not flexible and can melt or crack in extreme temperatures.

email: tobi@periwinkleskies.net
phone: (973) 865-1966
HIC: 13VH05896800