Etching a Sigil in candles.
- Dark Owl
- Apr 23, 2020
- 2 min read
Hello everyone! One of the things I love doing for the deities is etching Their sigil in candles. I thought I would share how I do it.
I use a crafting tool that has a nice point at the end. You can find this at any craft store. I got mine from Amazon.
So the first step I take is to practice the sigil if I haven't worked it before. I use a candle that I will not use on my alter or for spell work. This tan candle is my practice one. I wrap a piece of paper around the candle when I need to make clean lines. It works as a nice guide.
When you etch your candle hold your crafting tool like you are using a pencil. Go slowly and focus. Take you time when you are doing it. You want to make sure you etching is deep enough so that when you add the paint it will set in and not wipe away, really make the sigil stand out. Just don't etch too deeply, you can damage the candle. I go lightly at first then trace back over my lines going a little deeper. Make sure to blow or wipe any wax that comes off often so it doesn't cover your work. Be sure to use that practice candle. Get a feel of how to make lines and circles
Next you will paint over the sigil. I use acrylic paint but if anyone knows of an organic paint that might work please let me know. When you paint over the sigil make sure that you fill in all the lines. I cover the entire are where the sigil is carved like in the photo. Try to work quickly here because you will have to wipe off the excess paint. It is easier to do when the paint is still wet.
You can see in that I have wiped half the paint off. If you press too hard while you wipe the paint you might take it out of lines.
And there you have it! I usually getting a rush when I complete a sigil. Like a burst of warmth from heart to my entire body. If I don't feel that I look closely at the sigil to see if I made a mistake, like missing a line or the paint isn't dark enough. I feel like the rush I get is a way of knowing I had done it right and the Deity is happy with it. Here I dedicated this sigil to Verrine.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask!
When I try my hand at this, it will be with the sigil of Asmodeous. Can I do basic carving of the sigil's primary lines or do I need to do the multitude of small circle and curly-q flourishes the historical sigil has as well?
I am happy you asked that! Yes avoid the dipped candles. Their color will break off from the candle. I usually look at the bottom of the candle and I can tell the color is through out. I use the brand Wicca Wicks. I bought a nice set of 48 candles with that has 14 different colors in. These are about 4 inches high and 2 1/2 inches round. I haven’t worked on thing smaller. I think this is as small as I would go. It would be hard to hold something smaller.
Are there special types of candles that work better for carving? I tried carving a candle that was color dipped. The outer layer cracked immediately and the carving came out a mess. Also, what is the best candle diameter to handle safely and ensure a good carving? I noticed it is almost impossible to carve spell candles because they are very thin. What are your recommendations?