The tools and supplies needed to work in encaustics can generally be found all in one place: R&F Paints. However, if you are looking to save a little money, I can recommend some alternative options (especially if you are putting together your encaustic workshop for the first time). For your convenience I put together the following list of my favorite products. However, feel free to do the comparison shopping yourself, by exploring the many vendors in my exhaustive list of other Encaustic Resources.

P.S. Not sure where to start? Make sure to read my free Encaustic 101 tutorials: Getting Started With Encaustics, Making Your Own Paints, and Encaustic Image Transfers.

RECOMMENDED READING:

The Art of Encaustic Painting by Joanne Mattera is THE primary sourcebook for how to make and work with encaustic. This is a must read for everyone interested in encaustic.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, Embracing Encaustic by Linda Womack will delve into more advanced painting techniques for image transfers and creating texture.

EQUIPMENT:

For around $35, this electric skillet with adjustable temperature gauge is an affordable alternative to purchasing R&F’s heated palette, which normally costs around $250. It also doubles as a good pot to make encaustic medium in.

Interested in making encaustic monoprints? There’s not a readily available commercial product for this although there are a number of individuals who make custom encaustic monoprint hot boxes. Until you are ready to make that commitment, try this $60 buffet server instead. Even though you have to work around the equipment cycling on and off, it’s still a great starter “hotbox”.

The R&F HotShot Heat Gun has a widely adjustable heat gauge and is the least expensive option I’ve found with this valuable feature (most heat guns only have a high/low setting – not very practical). I only wish there were a slightly smaller, lighter version of this available. The HotShot is a tiny bit cheaper to purchase from Dick Blick than directly from R&F. Especially considering ground shipping from R&F starts at over $10, while basic ground shipping from Dick Blick is only $6.95.

If you are nervous about open flames, I recommend the Iwantani cooking torch because of it’s pistol type ignition. These are a favorite of both professional chefs and encaustic painters for their portability and ease of use. Unless you are fusing a lot, these little canisters will last a while. Don’t forget to buy the refills – you can pick them up at your local hardware store. (There’s also another version of the Iwantani torch here which may be a little cheaper).

STARTER KITS:

If you haven’t made the commitment to make your own paints, or you are simply looking to dabble in encaustics, this starter kit is a good value.

Likewise, you can make the paints in your starter kit go a lot further by thinning them down with encaustic medium. It won’t change the color intensity very much but it will stretch the paint bars (and your budget) a long ways.

RAW MATERIALS:

Clean and filtered bars of beeswax from Rudy’s Honey make great natural colored encaustic medium once you mix it with resin. It doesn’t have the same transparency as the clear medium from R&F, but it works just fine for building up underlayers of encaustic paint or for adding a warm glaze to the top layer of your painting. It’s completely safe and natural – plus it smells great! They offer free shipping and have the best rates per pound I’ve found yet.

There’s no other place to get quality damar resin crystals than R&F and you are going to need these to make your own medium. One pound will last a long time. Unless you live near a local art supply store that stocks their products, remember that there minimum shipping price starts at over $10 so make your bulk purchases from R&F all at once.

The safest way to clean your brushes is with R&F’s soy wax. (Go Soy Power!) Please avoid paraffin wax because it is petroleum based and not the healthiest nor environmentally friendliest way to clean your brushes. As I said before, order your supplies from R&F all at once to save on shipping.

The best quality, clear filtered beeswax is also from R&F. Once mixed with resin to make encaustic medium, this wax is perfect for building up translucent layers or mixing vibrant encaustic paints. Though other companies sell similar “pharmaceutical grade” wax products, I remain loyal to R&F simply because their wax is intended to be used with encaustics and has no chemical additives. Nor do they use any chemical bleaching processes, which can negatively affect both your pigmentation and your health. That’s a lesson you don’t want to learn the hard way – so stick to R&F.