R&F Encaustic Beeswax Paint Mars Black 40ml — Deep Opaque Black, Smooth Melting for Encaustic & Mixed Media

R&F Encaustic 40ml Mars Black is a ready-to-use, museum-quality beeswax paint cake that delivers a deep, opaque black in encaustic and mixed-media work.

Handmade in the USA using pharmaceutical-grade beeswax, damar resin, and a heavy pigment load, this compact 40ml cake offers artists a reliable, archival black that melts smoothly for layering, carving, and texture. Designed for encaustic techniques, the formula comes prepared for immediate use on heated palettes or encaustic boards. Because it combines high-quality raw materials with careful milling, the result is a stable, richly pigmented paint that supports both traditional encaustic practice and experimental mixed-media applications.

How does Mars Black behave when heated for encaustic layers?

When warmed, this beeswax-based Mars Black becomes fluid and blends easily with other encaustic colours while retaining a strong, opaque coverage. It re-hardens quickly on cooling, allowing for repeatable layering and sculptural effects without losing pigment intensity.

• Melts smoothly at encaustic temperatures — use a heated palette or iron.
• Dries to a stable, matte-to-satin surface that can be fused with a heat gun.
• Maintains deep opacity for underpainting or final glazing.

What safety and handling steps should artists follow?

This encaustic cake is safe for studio use when basic ventilation and temperature control are observed. Avoid overheating above 200°F, work in a ventilated space, and do not use solvents, as the paint is designed to perform without them.

• Keep temperature below 200°F to protect wax and pigments.
• Provide good ventilation or a small exhaust fan when fusing or heating.
• Avoid solvents — use encaustic mediums or modelling wax for modifications.

How can Mars Black be combined with other encaustic materials?

Mars Black mixes well with R&F’s other encaustic cakes, mediums, and impasto modelling wax, enabling a broad range of textures, tonal shifts, and surface manipulations. Because of its strong pigment concentration, a little goes a long way when tinting or shading.

• Blend on a heated palette for smooth gradients and soft transitions.
• Layer over or under lighter colours for contrast and depth.
• Mix with modelling wax for thicker sculptural passages or impasto.

Why choose the 40ml cake size for your studio practice?

The 40ml format is economical and portable, ideal for artists who want to expand a palette without committing to larger volumes. It’s well suited for studies, small panels, plein-air encaustic, or travel kits, while still providing the same handcrafted quality as the larger cakes.

• Compact, affordable option to build colour variety.
• Easy to melt and control on a small heated surface.
• Perfect for experimentation, classes, and limited-space studios.

Who is this for: Professional and emerging artists working in encaustic and mixed media who need a dependable, intensely pigmented Mars Black for layering, carving, and surface effects. It’s also a good choice for teachers, students, and hobbyists who want a high-quality, ready-to-use encaustic cake in a convenient 40ml size.

Product features:

• Made from 100% pharmaceutical-grade beeswax and damar resin.
• One 40ml cake of Mars Black encaustic paint — heavy pigment load.
• Do not heat above 200°F; use with adequate ventilation.
• Avoid solvents — formulated for solvent-free encaustic techniques.
• Handmade in the USA by R&F.