Hot Cakes encaustic wax paint offers incredible working properties. Delicate layering of thin, transparent glazes and the creation of heavy impasto textures are attainable within minutes without concerns for fat over lean. Wax paints are warmed to 150-175 degrees Fahrenheit on a pancake griddle. Since you are working with liquid wax colors which cool instantly, drying time is not a factor. Techniques using scraping to reveal underlying colors or to add texture are accomplished quite easily. Surface modeling is a well known property of wax medium. An often overlooked benefit of encaustic painting is that it is solvent free, eliminating the need for turpentine and mineral spirits. United States Pharmaceutical Grade (USP) Beeswax and high grade Damar Resin are the base of all of the wax paints. USP Beeswax is chemical and bleach free, and Damar Resin is filtered through a heat process without the addition of solvents.