How to Make Art With Paraffin Wax

Art isn't limited to a canvas; original candle creations from paraffin wax are also forms of art.

Petroleum-based paraffin wax is primarily used for candle-making; while candles are useful, they can also be viewed as art. Paraffin wax with a low melt point (less than 130F) is handy when making tea lights. However, to create more artistic candles, it is best to use high-melt-point paraffin wax (higher than 130 Fahrenheit) to construct a pillar candle.

Things You'll Need

• Sauce Pans
• Wooden Spoons
• Candy Thermometer
• Metal Molds

Instructions

1. Create a double boiler by taking a large saucepan and filling it with water. Place a smaller saucepan in the large one. This is where the wax will heat up and melt.

2. Place paraffin wax in the smaller saucepan and stir as the wax begins to melt.

3. When the wax is in a pourable form, pour into a metal mold.

4. Stack the various colors of parrafin you've selected by pouring them on top of one another as they dry. Create interesting patterns of stripes, or splatter different colors for an abstract art creation.

5. After the wax has cooled, remove it from the mold and display on a pillar or in a glass hurricane vase.

Tips & Warnings

• Get creative by using additional materials to decorate the artistic candle. Shop craft stores looking for lace, rhinestones or other materials to add to the candle. Secure them to the candle while the wax is still warm or use a hot glue gun to add them to the candle later.

• Art is all around. Don't limit choices to items that can be bought. Re-purpose household items or objects found within nature from a park or neighborhood.

• A candy thermometer is a great way to keep an eye on the temperature. High-melt-point wax will being melting once it reaches 130F.

• Use caution when working with heat; be sure to turn burners off when melting process is complete.

References

• Peak Candle Supplies; Wax Melting Instructions; Alan Wallace

Resources

• Candle Science: Paraffin Wax