Paper Beats Electrons: My Old Fashioned Book Obsession

Book Love

When I walk into a bookstore or a library, the first thing I do is close my eyes just for a moment and breathe deeply, allowing the scent of the books fill my lungs. I’m not sure what it is; Perhaps it’s the binding glue, the paper sizing, the chemicals in the shiny plasticized covers or a combination of them all. Practically speaking, it’s not the healthiest air to breathe nor is it a scent

Encaustic Paint

R&FEncaustic Paint (01101-5114) Encaustic paint can be found in a variety of beautiful colors. These are a blend of encaustic medium and pigment and must be melted prior to being applied. They are often used to add 3 dimensional, textural color to encaustic pieces. If you enjoy mixing your own paint colors, you can always mix up your own with dry or oil-based pigments and clear medium, but if you like having a selection of your favorite

Electric Skillet

Presto 06852 16-Inch Electric Skillet with Glass CoverThis kitchen appliance is one of the most-used tools in my studio. It is great for those who would like to save money in the long run by preparing their own encaustic medium. It is also great for holding and maintaining the correct temperature for your encaustic medium when you are building up those beautiful, translucent layers on your artwork. For more information and recommendations check out this article: Encaustic Tools from

Hot Plate

R&F Hot Plate, 12″ x 12″ (01112-1212)This provides a warm, flat surface that can be used as a palette for blending your encaustic paints directly on the surface or you can use it to heat up individual trays of encaustic paint in your favorite colors. When blending directly on the surface, the light-colored aluminum surface makes it easy to see the color of your paints.

Electric Griddle

Presto 23″ Electric Griddle This handy device was designed as a cooking surface for grilling food, but works perfectly as a less-expensive hot plate option for the encaustic studio. You can use it to heat small containers of individual wax colors or melt wax directly onto the surface for use as a hot palette. The dark non-stick surface makes it a little tougher to see the true colors of any encaustic paint on the surface, and the temperature

Heat Gun

R&F Hot Air Gun (01106-1011) Use to fuse your layers of encaustic medium. Another fusing tool option is a propane torch, and that is a great option for those who are comfortable using torches. However my recommendation to those who are encaustic newbies is to go for a hot air/heat gun instead.