Demo Video: How To Do A Pour

An encaustic pour offers you a quick and relatively easy way to get a smooth even surface. Our latest YouTube video demonstrates two ways to do pours - one that will create a thick surface and a pour-over that will create a flat, thinner surface. Check out the video link below and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any of our YouTube videos.

To achieve the best results, first make sure your work station is level. If your work station is not level, your pour won’t be either.

We recommend Ampersand Encausticbord as a substrate for your pour. Their unique surface consists of R&F encaustic gesso applied to Ampersand’s sealed Harbord panel, which forms a bright, smooth, and velvety surface that is heat resistant and absorbent. The Hardbord panel prevents air bubbles that can form along the edges of your panel with an unprimed wood panel.

To begin, use painter’s tape to build a 1/2 inch rim above the surface of your panel. Pinch each corner slightly to create a 90 degree angle. Burnish the edge of the tape to avoid leakage.

Warm the surface of your panel, then pour low and quickly. If air bubbles rise to the surface, you can pop them with a potter’s needle. Avoid moving your panel while the encaustic is cooling or you will disturb the surface of your wax.

When you remove the tape, you may notice that the edges of your surface are slightly raised. These can be trimmed with a loop tool or razor blade.

You can also do a pour over, which is handy if your substrate is small. To do so, you will need a silicone tray and something to prop your panel on. Palette cups work great because they can be placed on your heated palette after you’re finished to melt off any wax that might be stuck to them.

Pour low and quickly, covering the entire surface and allow the wax to set. To clean up, simply remove the cooled encaustic from your silicone tray and add it to your palette cup to reuse.