Play Around!

Beeswax can be deceiving. In its liquid state, it behaves similarly to water, yet it immediately begins to freeze on each cool surface it touches. This sudden change from liquid to solid can cause problems if your work station isn't prepared, but this change is also completely reversible. Take the expression "nothing is set in stone" to heart. Once hardened, even a small amount of heat is enough to soften beeswax enough to smooth, gouge, tack together, or break off. Rubbing your fingertips together can generate enough heat for these actions. If a bigger change is desired, a hair dryer or heat gun can soften a candle just enough to smooth over an imperfection. When pouring our candles in-house, our Head Chandler Melaney Sandbrook, keeps a hot plate and an old frying pan on standby for flattening the bottoms of candles that were poured on an uneven surface.

As you experiment, don't be afraid to go back and forth between solid and liquid states to get the result you're looking for. Think of it more like working with clay than with stone. With time, you will become more familiar with the way that beeswax behaves, and you will develop more sophisticated techniques. Save the perfectionism for later when you want to sell rows of identical candles at the farmers market. During this season of learning, allow yourself to take risks, and don't worry if a technique ruins the candle. It's all part of the process.

Messes and mistakes are OK.

A French proverb dating back to the 13th century states1, "A bad workman blames his tools". They knew it 800 years ago, and we know it now. Most of the time, it's not the candle mold that's defective, it's your technique. All novice chandlers will learn from practice, but even an experienced candle crafter can be surprised by the way a new mold performs. As your candle mold collection grows, take the time to understand each one's intricacies. Some molds have thinner walls and require more even pressure to close the slit before pouring. Some details require a change in pouring speed to fill properly.

Set yourself up for success by allowing yourself to fail the first 5 (or 15) times you pour. This can feel frustrating because it takes time to melt the wax, more time for the candle to cure, and even more time to re-melt your mistake. Embrace the pace. If you can't stand it, and you're looking to speed up the process, buy two of the same mold and have plenty of extra melted wax ready for your next pour.

Understand the Science of Art

Scientific thinking and artistic thinking are said to live in two separate hemispheres of the brain. When it comes to working with beeswax, the artist must activate their whole brain and keep their creativity in check with some basic understanding of the physics of wax. As you experiment with your candle pouring, you might find yourself asking "WHY does my candle look like THAT?" When diagnosing your errors, it could be due to the laws of chemistry and physics, and not a reflection of your artistic ability.

First and foremost, be true to your practice by working with 100% beeswax. If any other type of wax is introduced to your melter, it may cause the wax to behave differently, and the result you're looking for may never appear. Understand which wick diameter, construction, and material is best for each mold, and then perform some test burns to confirm you've made the right choice. Beeswax candles should melt evenly with the melt pool reaching just about the whole span of the candle, without dripping over the edge.Once you're ready to sell these candles, your customers will be impressed that you not only made the candles, but that you also know exactly how they'll burn.

Art may come from an emotional place, but with candle-making, the numbers matter. We recommend pouring at a wax temperature between 165-170 F. You'll find that some resources suggest a slightly higher temperature (180-185 F). Allow the finished product to tell you how to adjust your melter's thermostat. If bubbles are noticed in the cured candle, then the wax was too hot. If you see horizontal ridges around the candle, then the wax was poured too cold, or the wax was poured too slowly. Pouring speed is another number that matters a lot. If poured too quickly, the wax will skip over details. The sparrow might lose her beak, or the hedgehog might miss some of those cute spikes! The fact of the matter is that your artist studio is also a physics laboratory, and in order to make perfect candles, you need to be able to play both the mad scientist and starving artist.