# Candlemakers: how did I create this effect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 30, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185 "2017-11-30T21:52:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/1 "2017-11-30T21:52:10Z")
I managed to melt a lovely, lacy openwork pattern into the side of one of my candles. Does anyone have any insights as to how this happened, and how I might recreate it? Candle was a cheapie from a big box … would wax composition affect melt properties in this way? (Part of it broke off ☹ when I was moving it around to get this picture. DAMMIT) [![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171130/0f1c8f39d2a91b556e47e1094e785a74.jpg) ](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171130/0f1c8f39d2a91b556e47e1094e785a74.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/2 "2017-11-30T23:53:51Z")
I don’t make candles, but I think I remember reading that the lacy effect you are after can be accomplished by using crushed ice during the wax pouring. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/3 "2017-12-01T00:25:32Z")
Was it right up against some reflective or insulating surface? Reflected heat off a nearby object could have contributed to a greater degree of melting on that side. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/4 "2017-12-01T00:31:23Z")
Professional candle maker, 6 years, 2 companies. It’s just a factor of the wick being in the center or not / angle of wick / angle of candle / wind / reflection / etc. I’ve seen that before. No real solid explanation. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/5 "2017-12-01T04:00:13Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Was it right up against some reflective or insulating surface? Reflected heat off a nearby object could have contributed to a greater degree of melting on that side. I think the effect of this is to leave ice(or water)-filled voids within the otherwise solid wax of the candle body. When the candle is burning, the ewater in those voids heats up & evaporates/boils away – that leaves part of the candle body with much less wax than the solid wax walls elsewhere, so those parts will melt away faster, giving the resulting effect. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/6 "2017-12-01T04:13:05Z")
It is called ‘gutting’, when the candle burns off center due to wind or draft. Or other things I suppose. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/7 "2017-12-01T04:35:57Z")
guttering. “Gutting” is what a lion does to its prey. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/8 "2017-12-08T05:28:04Z")
Thanks for the explanations. Strange to think that such a pretty effect is an accident … and apparently the result of slightly defective manufacturing. It’s a decorative object in the 1st place; you’d think this would be a feature, not a bug. Additional pictures of the candle’s progress . . . [![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171208/ea895bf20a9382308e080e48f041e059.jpg) ](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171208/ea895bf20a9382308e080e48f041e059.jpg) [![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171208/438158acb5214f4de4b503c4e3bbbc8d.jpg) ](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171208/438158acb5214f4de4b503c4e3bbbc8d.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candlemakers-how-did-i-create-this-effect/803185/9 "2017-12-19T23:01:39Z")
Now it looks like a bull or Taurus symbol, next to a bonsai tree. [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171219/b49d5535ae172a22c1636a407b4ff454.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171219/b49d5535ae172a22c1636a407b4ff454.jpg)