Candle Mould – Baby Jesus

01 · ONE BUBBLE ON THE FACE RUINS IT

Pour tilted, then tap

The method that works on small pieces with a face is to pour very slowly and with the mould tilted, so the wax rises filling and pushing the air ahead of it instead of trapping it. Once full, quick light taps on the base to bring up any microbubble left.

Silicone spray before filling is not optional here: it is what protects the features at release. Beeswax pours between 70 and 75 °C — it melts at 62-65 and darkens above 85 — fluid enough to enter small detail.

02 · FLEX THE MOULD, DO NOT PULL

Not by the head or the hands

Silicone is elastic, but on a small figure the neck and the hands are the breaking points. The correct release is to flex the walls of the mould outwards and lift the figure out from above, without pressing on any thin part: it is a mould without a slit.

And with the wax completely cold. Warm it still gives, and that is where you lose the fingers or the head.

03 · 14 G OF WAX AND NO WICK

The figures LYSON gives

According to the LYSON catalogue, the figure is 2.5 cm tall and about 4 wide, takes about 14 g of wax and has no wick assigned. A kilo makes about 70 figures.

A note on colour for anyone with their own wax: old comb wax is darker and gives a golden, solemn tone; cappings wax comes out paler. Keep the old wax for decorative pieces rather than mixing it with the pale wax destined for foundation or sold as virgin wax.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

The centrepiece of the nativity, small and with a face.