R&F Encaustic Mediums

Encaustic Medium

Encaustic Medium is the encaustic paint without pigment. It is used to extend the colors in order to create transparencies. It is important when extending the colors to use the encaustic medium rather than plain beeswax. There are two reasons for this:

1) It maintains the hardness of the film.

2) Encaustic made only with beeswax will develop a bloom in cold temperature that can only be removed by reheating the paint. The damar helps to prevent this blooming.

Impasto Modeling Wax

Our Impasto & Modeling Wax is a blend of microcrystalline (petroleum) waxes and beeswax. It is designed for sculptural pruposes.  The Impasto Modeling Wax can be cast, carved, and layered to create a textural surface. Impasto Modeling Wax is not intended as a surface medium, but works well in combination with Encaustic Paints. It is less expensive than encaustic medium, so thickly built-up forms and sculptural work can be done more cheaply. The melting point of the impasto/modeling wax (175° F, 79° C) is a higher temperature than the melting point of encaustic (approximately 162°F, 72° C). The difference in temperature allows one to paint and fuse the encaustic over a shape without immediately blunting sculptural details or impasto effects.

Encaustic Gesso

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to create a white ground for encaustic painting we have great news for you! R&F has produced a ready to use white ground for encaustic painting. This is a modern version of the traditional, but painstakingly laborious, rabbit skin glue/chalk gesso. It is also an alternative to the time-consuming mounting of paper on panel.