R&F Encaustic Soy Wax, Brush Cleaner 1lb (454g) bag

Soy wax (actually partially hydrogenated soybean oil) is an excellent alternative to paraffin for cleaning brushes for several reasons. Soy beans are a renewable resource, unlike paraffin, which is a petroleum product. Soy wax is non-toxic and is naturally biodegradable.  Soy wax is also easier to remove than paraffin wax, so after the colour has been cleaned out of the brush, the brush can be washed with soap and water and is reusable in other mediums.

Beeswax is the chief component of our encaustic paint. The beeswax has been decolourized by mechanical filtration, rather than through bleaching which breaks the wax down. Filtering the wax is gentler process that makes it less reactive to pigments than chemical bleaching. The wax comes granulated so that it is easier to measure and to melt. You can use beeswax as the prime ingredient, along with damar resin, for making your own encaustic medium. Beeswax can also be used on its own, but without the resin the surface will remain soft, as is the nature of the material.

Damar is a hard natural resin that comes from a family of deciduous trees that grow in the East Indies. In encaustic paint damar resin is the most common ingredient for hardening the beeswax and raising its melting temperature. Damar allows the wax to be buffed to a higher, more translucent surface and helps prevent blooming in the wax. To use the damar in making your own encaustic medium, it must be melted in the beeswax and strained. You can make Damar varnish by dissolving the resin in turpentine.