Quick answer: To make encaustic paint, melt about 8 parts beeswax with 1 part damar resin (by weight) at roughly 200°F, strain out the resin’s debris to create encaustic medium, then stir in dry pigment, starting at about 1 part pigment to 10 parts medium by volume. Pour the mixture into small tins or a muffin pan to cool into cakes. Adjust the ratios for a harder or softer paint and always test on a scrap panel.
Store-bought encaustic paint is convenient but expensive, and you are limited to the colors a brand happens to sell. Learning how to make encaustic paint yourself lets you mix exact colors, control translucency and produce large batches of medium for a fraction of the cost.
The process is closer to cooking than chemistry. You melt two ingredients, filter them, add color and pour. What makes the difference between a good batch and a frustrating one is the ratio, the temperature and how carefully you incorporate the pigment.
What You Need
Ingredients
- Beeswax: Filtered, ideally cosmetic or art grade. Bleached white beeswax gives truer color mixing. Natural yellow beeswax adds a warm cast, which some painters like.
- Damar resin crystals: A natural tree resin that hardens the wax, lets you buff the surface and raises the melting point.
- Dry pigments: Artist-grade powdered pigments. Alternatively, oil paint sticks or tube oil paint can be used in small amounts (see below).
Equipment
- A heated palette, electric skillet or hot plate with temperature control
- A dedicated metal pot or large tin for melting medium (never return it to food use)
- A kitchen scale
- Fine metal mesh strainer, cheesecloth or a paint strainer
- Small metal tins, a silicone or metal muffin pan or candy molds
- Metal spoons or palette knives for stirring
- A thermometer
- A dust mask or respirator and nitrile gloves for handling dry pigment
- Good ventilation (an exhaust fan near your heat source)
A heated palette with even, adjustable heat makes both the melting and the painting steps easier. If you are still choosing one, our breakdown of the best wax palettes for encaustic work explains which features matter for mixing your own paint.
Choosing Your Wax-to-Resin Ratio
Damar changes how the paint behaves. More resin means a harder, glossier, more brittle film. Less resin means softer wax that buffs to a duller sheen and may be slightly tacky in warm rooms.
| Wax : damar (by weight) | Hardness | Buffing | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 : 1 | Softer | Satin | Cooler climates, softer feel, more flexible on paper |
| 8 : 1 | Balanced | Good sheen | The standard starting point for most artists |
| 6 : 1 | Harder | Higher gloss | Hot climates, more scratch resistance |
| 4 : 1 or more resin | Brittle | Very glossy | Generally not recommended; can crack |
If you are new to this, start at 8 to 1. For example, 16 ounces of beeswax with 2 ounces of damar yields roughly 18 ounces of medium.
How to Make Encaustic Paint: Step-by-Step
Part 1: Make the Encaustic Medium
- Set up ventilation. Open a window and run an exhaust fan near your work area before turning on any heat.
- Weigh the ingredients. Measure beeswax and damar separately on the scale.
- Melt the wax. Put the beeswax in your dedicated pot and heat to about 200°F. Beeswax melts at around 145°F, but the extra heat helps the resin dissolve.
- Prepare the damar. Crush large crystals into smaller pieces by wrapping them in a cloth and tapping with a hammer. Smaller pieces dissolve faster.
- Add the damar. Stir the crystals into the molten wax. They take time to dissolve, often 30 minutes to a few hours depending on crystal size and temperature. Stir occasionally.
- Keep it below about 220°F. If the wax smokes, lower the heat. Overheating darkens the medium and creates more fumes.
- Strain. Damar crystals contain bits of bark and grit. Pour the melted medium through fine mesh or cheesecloth into a clean container.
- Pour into molds. Pour the clear medium into a muffin pan or tins and let it cool. Pop out the cakes once fully set.
Part 2: Add Pigment
- Melt a portion of medium. Place a cake of medium in a small tin on your palette.
- Put on a mask and gloves. Dry pigment is a fine dust; avoid inhaling it.
- Add pigment gradually. Start with about 1 part pigment to 10 parts medium by volume. Sprinkle it in rather than dumping it, which creates clumps.
- Stir thoroughly. Mix with a metal spoon or palette knife for several minutes, pressing clumps against the side of the tin.
- Test the color. Brush a stroke onto a scrap panel or index card, let it cool and fuse. Melted wax looks darker and more saturated than the cooled color.
- Adjust. Add more pigment for opacity and intensity, or more medium for translucency.
- Pour into tins or molds. Label each cake with the pigment name and ratio.
Pigment Loading: How Much Is Too Much?
Every pigment has a different tinting strength, so there is no single correct amount. Strong modern pigments like phthalo blue need very little. Earth colors and some whites need more.
| Pigment type | Typical starting load | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phthalo blue/green, quinacridones | Very low, often under 5 percent | Extremely strong; a little goes far |
| Cadmiums, cobalts | About 10 to 15 percent | Handle with extra care; toxic as dust |
| Earth colors (ochres, siennas, umbers) | About 10 to 20 percent | Mix easily and are inexpensive |
| Titanium white | About 15 to 25 percent | Needed for opaque whites |
| Iridescent or mica powders | About 5 to 10 percent | Good for shimmer glazes |
These percentages are approximate starting points by volume. Too much pigment can make paint chalky, dull and weak, because there is not enough wax to bind the particles. If a cooled stroke rubs off as powder, add more medium.
Using Oil Paint or Oil Sticks Instead of Dry Pigment
If you already own oil paints, they can tint encaustic medium. This avoids handling dry pigment but introduces oil, which softens wax and slows hardening.
- Blot tube paint first. Squeeze oil paint onto paper and let it sit for a few hours so some oil soaks out.
- Keep it to a small proportion, commonly around 10 to 20 percent of the mix at most.
- Oil sticks contain wax already and blend into medium easily.
- Test for tackiness. If a cooled stroke stays soft or sticky after a day, the mix contains too much oil.
How to Make a Wax Palette of Colors
Once you know how to make one color, building a full set follows naturally. A practical starter set is:
- Titanium white
- Yellow ochre
- A warm yellow and a cool yellow
- A warm red and a cool red
- Ultramarine blue and phthalo blue
- Burnt umber or burnt sienna
- Black (or mix from umber and blue)
- Plenty of clear medium
Mixing a limited color palette into secondary colors on your heated palette teaches color relationships quickly and keeps your paintings harmonious. Make medium in large batches; you will use far more of it than any single color.
Cost and Batch Planning
The main reason many painters switch to homemade paint is volume. Prepared encaustic colors are sold in small cakes, and clear medium is used so heavily that buying it ready-made adds up quickly. Raw beeswax and damar crystals cost far less per pound than finished medium, and a single pound of dry pigment can tint a large quantity of paint because only a fraction of each cake is pigment.
Plan batches around how you work:
- Medium: Make the largest batches you can store, for example 2 to 5 pounds at a time. You will use it for priming, glazing and thinning.
- White: Make a generous batch, since most mixtures and tints rely on it.
- Strong colors: Make small batches of intense pigments like phthalos, then mix them into medium as needed.
- Test colors: Make tiny batches in single tins until you know you like a pigment.
Keep a simple log of each recipe: pigment name, amount of medium, amount of pigment and the date. When you love a color, you can repeat it exactly.
Grinding Pigment for Smoother Paint
Some pigments disperse easily in wax; others form stubborn clumps. Professional encaustic makers grind pigment into the wax on a heated surface, much like mulling oil paint. You can do a simple version at home: put a small pile of pigment on a heated metal plate or palette, add a little molten medium, and work it with a palette knife or glass muller in circular motions until smooth. Then stir that concentrated paste into a larger tin of medium. The extra step produces more even color and fewer speckles, especially with organic pigments.
Variations and Additives
- Microcrystalline wax: A petroleum-derived wax sometimes used instead of beeswax. It is softer and more flexible. Some artists blend a portion with beeswax for paper work.
- Carnauba wax: A very hard plant wax. Small additions raise hardness and melting point but can make paint brittle.
- Translucent glaze medium: Medium with just a pinch of pigment for veils of color.
- Textured paint: Some painters stir in fine marble dust to stiffen paint for sculptural effects.
Testing a New Batch Before You Paint
Before using a fresh batch on a real piece, run a quick test. Brush three strokes onto a primed scrap panel: one of pure color, one mixed about half and half with medium, and one heavily diluted glaze. Fuse all three, let them cool for an hour, then check each against a few questions. Does the color look as you expected once cool? Does a fingernail leave a deep scratch (too soft) or does the stroke chip (too hard)? Does buffing with a soft cloth produce a gentle sheen? Answers to these tell you whether to adjust pigment, resin or oil before committing.
Storing Homemade Encaustic Paint
Cooled cakes keep indefinitely. Store them in labeled containers away from heat and direct sun. Wrapping each cake in wax paper prevents dust from settling. When you need a color, drop a cake in a tin on your palette; wax can be remelted many times, although repeated overheating may darken it.
Troubleshooting Homemade Encaustic Paint
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Grainy or speckled color | Clumped pigment | Stir longer; grind pigment with a little medium on a hot surface first |
| Chalky or powdery strokes | Too much pigment | Add more medium |
| Paint cracks on the panel | Too much resin or a flexible support | Use less damar; switch to a rigid panel |
| Sticky surface after cooling | Too much oil or too little resin | Reduce oil paint; increase damar slightly |
| Medium looks brown | Overheating or natural beeswax | Lower temperature; use bleached beeswax |
| Debris in medium | Unstrained damar | Strain through finer mesh |
Safety Reminders
- Never melt wax over an open flame on a stove; use controlled electric heat.
- Keep temperatures below the smoking point.
- Ventilate the room throughout melting and painting.
- Wear a dust mask and gloves when handling powdered pigments.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby and never use water on hot wax.
- Keep all encaustic equipment separate from food utensils.
FAQs
What is the ratio of beeswax to damar resin for encaustic?
The most common ratio is about 8 parts beeswax to 1 part damar resin by weight. Many artists adjust between roughly 6 to 1 and 10 to 1 depending on climate and preferred hardness.
Can you make encaustic paint with crayons?
Crayons are paraffin with low-quality pigment. They melt, but the paint is soft and colors may fade. They are fine for casual experiments or kids’ projects, but not for lasting artwork.
Do you need damar resin to make encaustic paint?
Plain beeswax with pigment works, but it stays softer, is easier to scratch and does not buff to the same sheen. Damar improves durability and surface quality.
Can you use wax paper for a wet palette or in encaustic?
Wax paper is not a substitute for the membrane in an acrylic wet palette, but in encaustic it is handy for wrapping cakes of paint and covering finished paintings during storage.
Can you add acrylic paint to encaustic wax?
No. Acrylic paint contains water and does not mix with molten wax. Use dry pigment, oil sticks or small amounts of blotted oil paint.
How long does homemade encaustic paint last?
Cooled encaustic paint keeps essentially indefinitely when stored away from heat and dust. Wax can be remelted many times.
Next Step
Making your own encaustic paint comes down to a reliable ratio, controlled heat and careful mixing. Start with an 8 to 1 medium, a few earth pigments and white, then expand your color set as you learn how each pigment behaves. Even heating is what keeps homemade paint consistent, so see our guide to choosing a heated palette for encaustic paint before scaling up your batches.
