Steak And
Potato Part 1
Candle Making Project
By Bob Sherman
Wow,
It is hard to believe that 8 years have passed since I wrote this article.
This project first appeared in May, 1998 and I have rewritten and modernized
it to fit this site. This is a fun faux food candle, and demonstrates
a very simple technique for realistically painting candles. It also demonstrates
how well some chocolate molds adapt to candle making. Part one of this
two part article will demonstrate making the baked potato.
Most of the candle making supplies needed can be ordered directly from this page for your convenience.
PLEASE NOTE!! - Candle making can be dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Please read these Safety Rules before attempting any candle making projects.
If you are new to candle making, my Introduction To Candle Making Course is free and will show you all the basics for working with wax safely.WAX
FORMULAS
The same wax formula was used throughout
this candle.
- 1 pound of 140 MP wax
- 1 level teaspoon of Vybar 103 per pound of wax)
- 1 ounce scent oil - optional
- Dye as needed (Note: Vybar will make clear wax white, so no special dye is needed for white)
Candle Making Supplies
The following candle making supplies and other materials were used to make this candle. Clicking on the item name will bring you to that item's page with a full description and ordering information.
| Item | Amount Used |
| 140 Melt Point Paraffin Wax | Several pounds. |
| Vybar 103 | 1 level teaspoon per pound of wax. |
| Optional - 1 ounce per pound of wax. | |
| Steak And Potato Mold | One . |
| Melting / Pouring Pot | One for each color. |
| Thermometer | One |
| Dyes | Harvest gold, Brown |
| Wick | #1 square braid was used here, but you may need a different size depending on your wax formula and candle diameter. |
| Acrylic Floor Wax | I recommend Future Brand - from the supermarket. Alternatively a clear matte acrylic spray can be used. |
| Paint Brush | One moderately stiff brush and one soft brush 1/2 inch wide will suffice. |
| Paint - Potato | I use the 2 ounce bottles of acrylic folk art paint available in any craft store. When selecting paint bring a potato for a good color match to the base color. Pick up a dark brown as well. Hint: squinting your eyes when looking at the potato will average the tones and allow you to get an accurate base color. |
| Baking Pan, Wooden Spoon, Measuring Spoons | Purchase at a housewares store or a dollar store. |
Step By Step Instructions
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| 1. This mold is uneven, so supporting it in a tray of sand is recommended. This also helps prevent heat warping. | 2. Use the slightest bit of gold dye to tint the wax (the color of the inside of a baked potato). Pour the mold no hotter than 160 degrees F. or you will destroy the mold. After de molding, level the base. Before continuing, brush 2 coats of floor wax on or spray several coats of clear acrylic. Allow it to dry between each coat. This will make it easier to paint. |
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| 3. Use a real potato as a model when selecting your colors. | 4. Taking care not to get paint in the crack, paint a thin layer of the base color with the soft brush. |
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5. Allow to dry fully. The following technique is called dry brushing. it produces depth and texture by applying small amounts of progressively lighter or darker color. In this case we will be using progressively darker colors although for painting most things, using lighter colors works better. |
6. Squeeze out a large blob of the base color. This same blob of paint will be used for all the following steps so make sure you have enough. Add one drop of dark brown and stir with the back end of the brush handle. |
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| 7. Dip your stiff brush into the paint and rub back and forth on a paper towel until no paint is coming off the brush - hence the term dry brush. | 8. Scrub the potato using the dry brush. The first brushing should be quite vigorous, however as the color gets darker less and less pressure should be applied. |
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| 9. Stir in another drop of dark brown and repeat steps 7 and 8. | 10. Repeat the process until your potato looks real. Compare to your model potato often. |
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| 11. Use a small drill bit to make a wick hole. | 12. Insert a pre tabbed wick into the hole. |
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| 13. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch. | 14. The finished potato next to the steak. See Part 2 of this article for instructions on painting the steak. |
Continue to Part 2 Of This Article
Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common candle making practices as of the time of this writing - May 2006. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.
Author: Bob Sherman
Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.
This article is provided free of charge for use. Candles may be made and sold using this design royalty free, however no portion of this article may be reproduced for publication elsewhere without express permission from Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc. with the following exceptions:
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