In this master class you will learn how to make thin black wax candles with your own hands at home.
They look like church ones. Black candles represent cleansing and regeneration and are often used in white magic. Unlike paraffin, wax is a natural product. Working with him is easy and pleasant. The technique of making thin candles is simple and does not require skills, so the pleasure of working is guaranteed! If you do not color the mixture, you will end up with ordinary candles.
Preparing materials for work
To make black candles, you will need the following materials and tools:
- natural beeswax or regular church wax candles. The second option was used in the master class;
- black shoe polish based on beeswax;
- aluminium foil;
- melting container;
- water bath;
- stir stick;
- cotton thread No. 30 (for wick).
If you want to do it yourself beautiful decorative candles, then take a look at ours. We have shaped paraffin and gel products for any occasion.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
Break the wax into small pieces and place in a small container.
Do not throw away the remaining wicks from the candles - they will be needed for reuse!
To obtain a rich shade, black shoe polish based on beeswax is suitable. A product of this composition will dissolve without leaving behind lumps or streaks.
Squeeze approximately 1 teaspoon of shoe polish into the container containing the wax pieces.
To melt, place the container in a bowl of water. Place the bowl on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Melt the lumps in a water bath until the wax and shoe polish are completely mixed and dissolved.
If you are using store-bought candles as the material, you can skip the description of making the wick.
To make wicks for wax candles with your own hands, you will need threads. Only suitable for this natural 100% cotton threads, without any synthetic inclusions. Otherwise, the wick will spark and burn out in a matter of seconds. You can also use jute, hemp and other materials of this kind for these purposes. They are completely natural and will burn normally.
Cut the threads into pieces approximately 1 meter long. Twist wicks from these pieces into 5-6 threads about 15-20 cm long.
Dip these pieces into the melted mass for 1-2 seconds and place them on a piece of paper. Wait until they dry.
Tear off a sheet approximately 20-25 cm long from the foil.
Make something like a lid with low sides from this sheet.
Pour the melted wax into the middle of this design.
Wait until the mixture cools down a little. After that, cut it into strips 1.5-2 cm wide.
Take one of the strips.
Separate the foil from its bottom. It comes off very easily.
Place the wick on the bottom of the strip and lightly press it into the wax mass.
Place the strip on a flat surface. Carefully wrap it around the wick.
After this, begin to roll the mass over the table like a sausage made of dough.
You should get products like this.
Using the sharp end of a knife, cut the black wax candle where you can see its bottom. Using the blunt end of a knife, cut off the excess at the top of the product: this will remove the excess without damaging the wick.
Black candles are ready!
Similarly, you can make colored or uncolored wax candles with your own hands. You can also practice sculpting and make shaped wax products to decorate your room.
It is believed that black wax candles cleanse rooms of bad energy. Just light a candle in the house, not forgetting about safety precautions.
The ideal material for coloring wax and paraffin is wax crayons. They already contain the necessary fat-soluble dyes. To work, you will need 2 more pans or a special device for a water bath. The pans should be such that the smaller one can be hooked onto the edges of the larger one with its handles. Grind the wax crayons of the desired color on a fine grater. Place the wax or paraffin in a smaller pan, pour water into the larger one and bring to a boil. Melt the wax, add crushed chalk to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly. Keep the wax or paraffin in a water bath until the color becomes uniform. There may be clumps of dye left that are best removed.Coloring with wax dyes
In hardware stores you can sometimes find aniline wax dyes. They are also suitable for coloring paraffin. Such paints are available in the form of tablets or powders. The painting method is not much different from the previous one. The tablet must be thoroughly crushed, wax or paraffin must be melted in a water bath. Pour in the dye, stir, and keep the mixture in a molten state until an even shade is obtained. In the same way, paraffin is colored using colored candle scrap, so do not throw away the stubs of multi-colored candles, they may still be useful. True, the color will turn out somewhat lighter than the original.Coloring with natural materials
Many plants contain natural dyes suitable for coloring wax. For example, marigolds give a rich yellow color, tansy can be used to color wax in various shades of green, and the peel will give your paraffin a delicate golden hue. For 1 kg of paraffin or wax you need about 4 cups of tansy leaves or marigolds. There is no need to chop leaves or flowers. They just need to be placed in a bag made of cotton or woolen fabric (that is, one that does not contain artificial fibers that can melt when the temperature rises). You need to add a little stearin to the paraffin; you don’t need to add anything to the wax. Melt paraffin or wax in a water bath. Immerse a bag of flowers or leaves into the mixture and watch the process, stirring the wax occasionally. Keep in mind that melted wax is slightly brighter than the frozen finished wax product.Finished product painting
You can also paint a product cast from wax or paraffin. In this case, it is better to use wax crayons. Crush the chalk to form a powder and melt in a water bath. Add a little wax or paraffin (depending on the material of the product), mix. Dip the finished product into the paint and quickly remove it.Handmade is gaining more and more popularity. Extravagant jewelry, paintings, toys, decorative elements, gifts - this is only a small part of what passionate craftsmen and amateurs create with their own hands. Today we will talk about how to make a candle at home.
This process does not require special skills or equipment. After reading our recommendations and detailed master classes, even beginners can begin this exciting process.
CREATING A CANDLE: WHERE TO START
Making your own candles is much easier than you might think. And the main advantage of such an activity is that the necessary materials are easily accessible. If you look hard enough, you can even find them in your home.
MATERIALS FOR HOMEMADE CANDLES
Wax, stearin or paraffin are best suited for the job. Moreover, it is better for beginners to start getting acquainted with the latter; it is the least demanding to use. You can buy paraffin at the store or use leftover old white candles.
WICK
It is best to use natural threads as a wick, ideally thick cotton ones. Do not try to use synthetic wicks: such wicks will burn quickly and leave behind an unpleasant odor. To check if the thread is natural, simply set fire to its tip. If it melts, forming a hard ball at the end, you have synthetics.
If you have an unusual candle in mind and are thinking about how to make an original wick for it, then use colored floss threads. This is an excellent and natural material.
Remember an important rule: the thicker the candle, the thicker the wick should be.
It's easy to make it yourself. To do this, prepare a solution: dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of boric acid in a glass of water. Soak cotton thread or floss in it for 12 hours. Then dry them and twist them into a rope or braid them.
If you find this process tedious, carefully remove the wick from the finished household candle and use it.
CANDLE Mold
First of all, decide on the configuration of the desired candle, and then try to find a hollow object of the same shape. You may find it useful:
Cardboard bags for milk and juices;
. plastic cups for yoghurts and desserts;
. egg shells;
. silicone baking molds;
. glass goblets, wine glasses, glasses and glasses;
. baby beads;
. shaped ice cream molds;
. tin and glass coffee jars;
. empty tin cans.
The only requirement is that the mold material must withstand heating up to 100°C.
Another interesting option is to pour candles into beautiful transparent glasses. You won’t be able to get them, but they will look very stylish and unusual.
Sometimes scented candles are made in tangerine or orange peel. The fruit is first cut in half and the pulp is carefully removed. You can also use large shells or coconut shells.
DYES
A white candle is elegant but boring. Naturally, the question arises of how to color paraffin in order to obtain bright interior decorations.
For lovers of candle making, the best and cheapest option is to take wax crayons for children's creativity. Want to get a special candle? Look for pearlescent crayons - your creation will be unique.
Do not try to use water-soluble gouache or watercolor - you will fail. The dye will inevitably settle to the bottom or fall out in flakes. The finished product will look very unpresentable.
Utensils for melting paraffin
In order to melt the paraffin, you will need a small saucepan for a steam bath and an iron bowl. Experienced craftsmen recommend heating paraffin in a steam bath, considering other methods, including the microwave, to be fire hazardous.
To begin with, we recommend that you also use this method, proven over the years: place a bowl of paraffin in a container of boiling water. If you plan to have a colored candle, add the chalk immediately and stir the melted mass several times to obtain a uniform color.
FLAVORS AND DECOR
Any available materials are suitable for decorating candles. First, decide on the topic of your work. Pebbles and shells will effectively complement marine-style candles. For a New Year's theme, use beads, small cones, small decorative balls, ribbons and bows. Decorate Valentine's Day candles with hearts, sparkles, bows, dried flowers, coffee beans, etc.
It is best to scent homemade candles with essential oils, which can be purchased at your nearest pharmacy. Another option is to find vanilla cinnamon in your kitchen. You should add flavors to the melted paraffin at the very end, after coloring.
STEP-BY-STEP MASTER CLASSES
We bring to your attention a selection of accessible master classes that will help beginners learn basic techniques and techniques. If you already know how to create candles with your own hands, you can draw interesting ideas from them to implement in your creativity.
We invite you to create heart-shaped candles that will be an unforgettable gift for your significant other for Valentine's Day or birthday.
Watch a detailed video of creating a fragrant coffee candle and you will see that everything is even simpler than it seems at first glance.
RAINBOW CANDLES
Want to add a pop of color to your home? Handmade interior rainbow candles will help you with this.
To make them you will need the following ingredients:
. paraffin;
. stearin;
. wick;
. cylindrical shape;
. dyes corresponding to the colors of the rainbow.
You will receive more detailed information from a detailed video tutorial. For beginning craftsmen, it shows all the stages of preparing candle mass and creating a gradient transition of colors.
COLORFUL CANDLES IN LAYERS
Spectacular multi-colored candles in a transparent glass will become the highlight of your interior. How to make them, see our master class, illustrated with step-by-step photos.
Materials
Before you make colored candles with your own hands, prepare:
Transparent wax;
wax pencils;
disposable paper cups;
glass cups;
wicks;
ice cream sticks;
aroma oils;
microwave oven;
grater
Step 1. Grate regular transparent wax and fill paper cups with the resulting material. They only need to be filled a quarter full with this material.
Step 2: Microwave the cup for 45 seconds. Get it out. Mix the wax with a wooden stick. It should melt completely; if this does not happen, place the glass in the oven for another 30 seconds.
Step 3. Place the wick in an empty glass cup. You can attach the other end to an ice cream stick and place it on the top of the cup. This will make it easier for you to continue working. Pour some wax into the glass and wait until it sets. Thus, the wick should be fixed in the center of the cup.
Step 4: Remove the paper wrapper from the wax crayons. Grate them and add the desired color of crayons into separate cups with wax. Add shavings of one pencil to a third of a glass of wax to get a fairly rich color.
Step 5. Place the glass of colored wax in the microwave for 2.5 minutes. Take it out and, while stirring, add a few drops of your chosen aromatic oil. You don't have to do this, but with oil your candles will emit a pleasant aroma.
Step 6. While holding the wick, pour the first layer of colored wax into the glass. To get an interesting pattern, tilt the glass at an angle and hold it in this position until the wax sets.
Step 7. In the same way, melt cups with wax of a different color and also, but at the opposite angle, pour them one by one into a glass cup. Fix the container in different positions each time until the wax sets.
Step 8. After forming a multi-colored candle, let the wax cool completely.
Bright and unusual candles are ready. You can use them for their intended purpose or give them to friends as souvenirs.
SOURCE: http://www.rukikryki.ru/
Another interesting idea is a square multi-color candle. Wax pencils are also used to color it. If you are a beginner, be sure to check out the clear video tutorial, with its help you can easily make such a cool craft as a gift for friends and family.
OPEN CANDLES
Decorative candles can be of the most varied designs, because talented craftsmen never tire of amaze with their imagination and creative experiments. To confirm these words, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the method of making an unusual openwork candle.
To work you will need:
. paraffin;
. optional coloring and flavoring;
. wick and holder for it;
. cylindrical shape;
. small ice cubes.
Melt the paraffin in a water bath. If the candle is supposed to be colored, color the candle mass; if desired, you can also scent it.
Place the wick in the mold so that it reaches the bottom. Don't forget to secure it on top with an improvised holder. Fill with crushed ice, not reaching a couple of centimeters from the edges.
Pour the melted candle mixture into the mold. Leave the workpiece until the paraffin has cooled completely. In this case, naturally, the ice will melt, and cavities will form inside the candle.
Carefully drain the water and remove the product by pulling the wick.
Be careful, this beauty is quite fragile and requires careful handling. This unusual openwork candle will be a wonderful gift for your family and friends. If you use paraffin from old candles for your work, you will get this beauty completely free.
You will receive visual instructions for action from detailed videos of creating openwork candles. After viewing them, you can make such beauty yourself at home.
Video #1:
Video #2:
Option No. 3: And if you are wondering what to give your friends for the New Year, then surprise them with a handmade red openwork candle. It will be an unforgettable gift and will bring a feeling of celebration and Christmas mood to your home. Watch the master's work and be inspired by your own masterpieces.
MASSAGE CANDLES
The main ingredient for creating a massage candle is soy wax. By adding useful components to it, you can get a product that has healing properties. It is no longer a decoration, but a homemade cosmetic product that makes the skin soft and well-groomed.
Healing properties of essential oils:
Lemon essential oil will help rejuvenate your skin and cleanse your pores.
. Orange oil has an anti-cellulite effect.
. Rose oil stimulates the regeneration of skin cells and promotes skin elasticity.
. Rosemary oil can clear the skin of age spots and make it smooth.
. Patchouli oil does a great job of moisturizing.
. Lavender oil will delight you with its healing effect.
Solid vegetable oils are also added to massage candles. For example, cocoa butter is used to moisturize and tone the skin. And with its regular use, cosmetologists promise you smooth and soft skin.
Exotic shea butter can save dry skin from flaking. Coconut oil, rich in natural antioxidants, can smooth the skin.
General algorithm for creating a massage candle:
1. melt the wax with solid oils in a water bath;
2. let the mixture cool slightly and add liquid oils;
3. Cool the mass a little more and add essential oils, extracts and vitamins;
4. pour the resulting candle mass into the mold, after inserting the wick into it;
5. Wait for the candle to completely harden and remove it from the mold;
6. The hardened candle is ready for use.
We offer you the most common recipes for effective massage candles.
Recipe No. 1
Soy wax - 85%;
. avocado and shea butter (aka shea butter) - 5% each;
. patchouli essential oil - 2.8%;
. ylang-ylang essential oil - 2%;
. vitamin E - 0.2% (a few drops).
Light the finished candle and let it melt a little. Put it out. Put some warm wax on your hand and you can treat yourself to a rejuvenating massage session. Don't be afraid to get burned - the melting point of such a candle is much lower than a paraffin candle.
Recipe No. 2 “Massage candle with a calming effect”
Soy wax - 80g;
. shea butter - 40g;
. almond oil - 40g;
. cocoa butter - 20g;
. essential oils of sage and lavender - 2 g each.
A massage session with such candles is best done before bed. The calming effect of essential oils will help you relax and sleep soundly.
Recipe No. 3 “Massage candle with anti-cellulite effect”
Beeswax - 100g;
. cocoa butter - 60g;
. ground chili pepper - 5-10g;
. essential oils of orange and grapefruit - 3 g each.
Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in the candle. After the massage, you may feel a burning or tingling sensation, which is due to the presence of chili in the composition.
Regular massage will help get rid of the hated “orange peel” and make the skin soft and elastic.
WE DECORATE CANDLES USING DECOUPAGE TECHNIQUE
If you don’t have dye, but want to create something bright and memorable, don’t worry. The simplest candle made from cinders can be turned into a work of art. To do this, you need to have a little patience and decorate the product to your liking.
CANDLE DECORATED WITH DRIED FLOWERS
Dried leaves, stems and flowers will help you create an exclusive candle that will be almost impossible to repeat. The use of natural materials is limited only by the local flora and your imagination. This is when the ability to collect a herbarium will come in handy.
*photo by Lyudmila Klimova
To work you will need:
. any dried flowers;
. 2 candles - for decoration and a regular one;
. tea spoon;
. tweezers;
. nail scissors;
. paraffin for final coating.
From the dried flowers you have available, create a composition that you want to bring to life.
Heat a teaspoon over a regular burning candle (with the inner side over the fire, since the spoon will turn a little black, and in order not to stain the candle, we will then carry out all manipulations with the other side of the spoon).
Place a dry flower on the candle to be decorated and gently stroke its petals with the outside of a spoon so that they melt into the paraffin and do not stick out. Thick stems may need to be ironed several times while heating the spoon.
Carefully trim off any excess stems that extend beyond the candle with scissors.
Glue the remaining elements in the same way, choosing the desired location for them. Make sure that the edges of the leaves and petals do not stick out.
All that remains is to consolidate the result. Melt the paraffin in a water bath, pour it into a container into which you can completely dip the decorated candle.
Holding the candle by the wick, immerse it in melted paraffin, place it on a flat surface and let it cool. If the petals were not smoothed well and protruding ends remain visible, repeat this procedure again.
Such an elegant candle will conquer any heart and will not go unnoticed. Complement it with a beautiful candlestick and it will become a unique decoration for your home.
DECOUPAGE CANDLES WITH PAPER NAPLES
The desire to decorate a candle could come instantly, but there are no dried flowers at hand. In this case, you can get by with paper napkins. With their help you can easily decorate a candle for any holiday.
Choose a napkin with the pattern you want. Cut out the necessary elements from a napkin. Carefully remove the bottom two layers of paper from the resulting blanks. Further, the principle of operation is similar to decorating with dried flowers.
Attach the prepared element to the candle and iron it with a hot spoon. Sand the cooled surface with the rough side of a regular kitchen sponge. There is no need to immerse the candle in melted paraffin with this method.
Your masterpiece is ready. Make a beautiful composition of New Year's style candles, fir branches and colored balls. It will bring a good mood and a festive atmosphere to your home.
PHOTO DESIGN IDEAS
Want even more inspiration? Browse our selection of decorative candles. You will definitely find one that you want to repeat immediately.
We were able to convince you that it is possible to create unique masterpieces even from scrap materials? That is why candle making has become a favorite pastime for many, beginners and not only masters.
Original form templates:
Now you know what and how candles are made from, you can get to work. Don't try to use the photo you like as a template and an unconditional ideal. Be inspired by ready-made projects to create your own unique candles. A little effort and perseverance - and your masterpieces will become a standard to follow.
– this is truly a small miracle. It is pleasant and comfortable to be in a room filled with the flickering flame of a burning candle. It fills the room with an indescribable and delightful feeling of comfort and warmth.
Making candles is a great art, in which mastery comes only after many years of constant practice. Unfortunately, in the modern world, candle manufacturers are trying to reduce the cost of their products and speed up their production in order to make greater profits. This undoubtedly affects the quality of the candles and their safety for others.
In order not to become a victim of unscrupulous manufacturers and to be absolutely sure that there are no toxic substances in the products, you need to consider the option of making candles yourself at home.
In this article we will not describe the entire candle production cycle, but will only consider the independent production of candle dyes and methods of using them.
What types of dyes are there?
They are divided into natural and synthetic. Natural dyes are made from natural ingredients and herbs (oak or ash bark, dry henna, rose hip foliage). To prepare them, you will have to collect the necessary ingredients and then process them to obtain a dye.
Synthetic dyes (colorants) are made from complex chemical compounds using special formulas that are inaccessible to the common man without a scientific degree in chemistry. They color the candle quickly and evenly, and practically no time is required for their preparation (as a rule, they just need to be mixed with water).
Also, non-natural dyes have a number of advantages: they are cheap, they are sold in many specialized stores, they are suitable for coloring both wax and paraffin.
You may not get the desired result right away, but trial and error will eventually lead you to the right path. If possible, read the materials and instructions for making candles and candle additives on specialized websites, and also consult with friends who are interested in making them.
By learning to make candles yourself, you will not only gain an excellent skill, but also receive rewards in the form of beautiful and
Painting with acrylic paints
The most affordable material for painting candles is acrylic paints, which are known for their versatility and paint well on almost any surface. Using acrylic paints on candles, you can create quite complex multi-color drawings with smooth color transitions, using basic painting techniques.
The paints are mixed on a palette, which can be used as an ordinary white earthenware plate. To apply a picture and obtain a variety of pictorial effects, various hair brushes are used - round and flat.
An interesting technique is in which paint of different colors is applied to the two halves of the tip of a wide flat brush, and then with one stroke, lines and shapes (petals, leaves, etc.) are created on the candle with a smooth transition from one color to another. This way you can achieve natural volume and depth of the picture.
However, sometimes water-based paints do not adhere well to the surface of a candle, so in some cases, before starting the painting process, the candle is wiped with a cloth soaked in an alcohol solution, and a little detergent is added to the paint.
There is another, much more professional means that allows you to easily apply paint to a surface - varnish for decorating candles, which increases the adhesive properties of paints (i.e., improves the adhesion of paint particles to wax or paraffin). This is a special non-flammable water-based varnish, which contains acrylates and paraffin. Due to its composition, the varnish does not smoke or emit an odor when the candle burns.
Varnish is applied to the surface of the candle before painting. Then it is allowed to dry and the candle is painted with acrylic paints. After the paint layer has dried, another layer of varnish is applied to the candle, which securely fixes the design. In addition, such varnishes give the surface of the candle various additional effects - glossy, silky and others.
Painting with special contours
To make ornaments, arabesques and inscriptions on candles, it is very convenient to use special contour paints for candles on a liquid wax base. They also have a specially selected composition that makes them non-flammable and non-smoking. The applied pattern melts along with the wax as the candle burns.
Painting is done directly with the narrow tip of a tube of contour paint, which is convenient for drawing and writing, like a regular pencil. In this case, you need to press lightly on the tube so that the paint spreads evenly over the design. Upon completion of the painting, the paint is allowed to dry for 24 hours and a layer of candle varnish is applied.
Pencil paint leaves a thin voluminous mark, which creates an additional beautiful relief effect. Mixing such paints is not very convenient; moreover, they have a pasty consistency, so they cannot be used to create a realistic pictorial drawing on a candle.
Mixed techniques can also be used in painting candles: a pictorial drawing with acrylic paints is perfectly complemented by an ornament or inscription applied with a liquid wax outline.