Hi Don: What do you think the best ground to paint with cera colla on would be? I'd like to prepare hardboard panels specifically for cerra colla work. Rich

OK, this time I took my time and read your website carefully about your cera colla painting process. I think that I overcooked my medium last time, this time it turned out to be much better to work with, I saw it dry and polished it to an amazing glow just like you describe. I also realized about when I finished this one with almost literally the last brushstroke that the next one will turn out better, cera and I are communicating better. 
Rich

Because cera cola is so soft it is basicly a thin medium. Thin can be buffed to a sheen. Originally and basicly a wall paint, the sheen was important.

Yes it could be used thickly, as mastic and wax can be built up, but cera cola is only emulsified wax. When you want a stronger design material to build up, a harder wax is used and used encausticly with heat. There are still fragments of encaustic wax on the Trajan Column. The Egyptian Fayum grave paintings were cera cola, not encaustic as is stated in current text books.

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