ENCAUSTIC SUPPLIES & Resources
Welcome! The most economical and simplest set up for encaustic painting is to use only clear encaustic medium, with the color in your paintings coming exclusively from other media, but it doesn’t take much more to enjoy the full range of encaustic paints. Here’s where to start:
ENCAUSTIC SUPPLIES
A pancake griddle that heats to 200°F (93°C)
A surface thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check wax temps.
At least 1lb (473ml) of encaustic medium
A few inexpensive chip brushes or Hake brushes
A few finer natural bristle brushes in various sizes
A few rigid/absorbent panels without acrylic paint or acrylic gesso
An embossing heat tool (made for stamping)
A basic pottery tool set for scraping and carving
Rigid/absorbent panels without acrylic paint or acrylic gesso. You can use wood, pressboard, or anything that is rigid, absorbent, and not coated with acrylic or oil. Canvas is not recommended. Panels may be cradled or flat.
My Personalized Professional Paint Sets are an easy way to get started or choose other student grade or professional grade sets.
I also love to include oil pastels, pigment sticks, and water-soluble wax crayons in my work
For a detailed discussion of many of these materials, watch my Winslow Art Center online demo from April 2025.
RESOURCES
R&F Paints - Basic Encaustic Manual
R&F Paints - Ventilating Your Studio
R&F Paints - Encaustic Paint Chart