Product Description Encaustic paint is composed of pigment, beeswax and resin. It is applied molten to a surface and fused to create a lustrous enamel effect. It is among the most durable of all artists’ paints, since wax is impervious to moisture and over time retains all the freshness of a newly finished work.. Once the surface has cooled, the paint has reached a permanent finish, but the painting can also be revised and reworked at any time — whether seconds or years later. Encaustics need to be applied to a rigid substrate such as a panel or hard board.