ThewHart Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 Hi Everyone, I was hoping to get some help/advice. About 20 years ago I was buying candles from a local supplier. They have since closed and I can not find them anymore. They had the best candles, both in texture and scent. I have attached two of the candles (one with a "scratchy" finish and one with a similar finish, but what seemed to be coated in a metallic type wax. I was hoping someone could tell me how this was done so I could make these candles myself, I just LOVE the look of the finish. I have no idea what to call it when I search. Thank you so much for your help in advance. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Ov Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 There pretty..Hope someone on here can help you..The shiny ones maybe it could be painted with mica coloring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerven Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) Hmm. Looks like they were dipped into a wax dyed with metallic pigments. To achieve the swiped patterns, I imagine something like a sponge, paper towel, swatch of fabric, or just about anything was swiped over the setting wax. You might find the dyes wherever carved candle supplies are sold. It's important that the metallic dyes not be added to the actual pillar and only to the wax used to coat the pillar; the metallic particles will clog the wick. edit: I'm very curious now to see how a pillar dipped in palm wax colored with metallic pigments might look... Going to have to add that to the list. Edited October 11, 2020 by Kerven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThewHart Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Thank you Karen. They ARE really nice, and I can't find anything like it anywhere. Thanks for the suggestion of mica, I'll have to give that a try to see if it comes off shiny and metal looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThewHart Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Kerven, Interesting, I never thought of that. I just assumed the texture was part of the mold, it really had a look like the mold was aluminum with the inside "swirl" or "brushed" deep enough to create that texture. However, in a way that makes sense, there were never any seams in the finished product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerven Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Could have been a silicone mold. I'm not sure if those existed for candlemaking back then and in such fine detail. I'm convinced they used a brush on the dipped candle to achieve that design. The way the light reflects off it reminds me of some palm waxes. I'd love to know what pigments they used for that jeweltone metallic. I wonder how they made those vertical dual color pillars. No seams or excessive bleeding! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzy Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 I'm almost 100% sure that's Feather Palm Wax. I seem to remember getting patterns like that when I was deep into Pillar making. The shininess is something I've never seen. It's stunning. Maybe a clear wax gloss of some kind? A shiny pillar wax coating/dip? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura C Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 19 hours ago, ThewHart said: Hi Everyone, I was hoping to get some help/advice. About 20 years ago I was buying candles from a local supplier. They have since closed and I can not find them anymore. They had the best candles, both in texture and scent. I have attached two of the candles (one with a "scratchy" finish and one with a similar finish, but what seemed to be coated in a metallic type wax. I was hoping someone could tell me how this was done so I could make these candles myself, I just LOVE the look of the finish. I have no idea what to call it when I search. Thank you so much for your help in advance. Matt Wow, those are all very nice looking candles. Someone put a lot of love and work into those. The metallic looking ones are impressive and look expensive. I have never made candles like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdcharm Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 What a fun guessing game! I think there may have been mica added to paint and it was brushed on, but it's just a guess! There is an additive for acrylic paint that allows you to paint onto wax, although I don't know how it actually works on a candle and candle paint isn't something I've ever explored, but I have read that micas can be added to paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerven Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 At first glance, I thought it might be palm but I've never seen those exact brushed patterns. I've seen similar, like overlapping circular spots, and there's the turtoise shell palm... but not that swooshed painted look. The giveaway for me was the colored wax traveling up the wick and coming to a clean stop. Doesn't mean it couldn't be dipped in some sort of palm. When I have a thin layer of palm left in the pouring pot it tends to either form a crystallized crust or circular clusters. Pearl Ex might work as a dip. I've read of it being used in encaustic art and even soaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdcharm Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Maybe it's not paint that was used ... could it be hot wax with mica mixed in? I looked up "encaustic painting" also called "hot wax painting" ... a possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThewHart Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 Hey Kerven, I don't think (can't say for sure) it was a silicon mold as I was buying these about 20 years ago. I am starting to think it was done once the candles came out of the mold, but that also would have been a super labour intensive job. The candles were not particularly expensive. I do think that they were "dipped" afterwards to achieve the "metallic" look. So far it sounds like the mica in palm might be the best option. I am also trying to see if I have better pictures somewhere that might help in this mystery. Thank you for the suggestions so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThewHart Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 Hi Lizzy, I took a look at the feather palm option, (which by the way is a really beautiful look), but, the ones I saw came out smooth. These candles had a distinct swirl pattern on them. Almost as if they were done by a circular metal brush? I realize that something like this wasn't used, but thats the best way I can describe it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThewHart Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 birdcharm, I really like the idea of the dipping method. The finished product (on the metallic ones) was so clean and flawless. The concept of mica in a palm wax sounds like a good start. I was at the manufacturing facility where I live in Calgary, but never saw anything that would help in this mystery. However, that WAS 20 years ago hahaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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