Discover the Best Candle Making Classes Online
Cultures around the world have been making candles by hand for thousands of years. Evidence shows that in ancient Rome, China, and India, among other civilizations, people made candles for practical and religious purposes as early as 500 BCE.
While candles are no longer a necessity for providing light as they were in these ancient times, the commonalities between contemporary candles and their ancient counterparts outweigh the differences. The basic techniques for encasing a wick in wax are much the same today as they were thousands of years ago, and the modern interest in scented candles finds its precursor in the cinnamon-scented candles found at Indian religious sites.
Though it has never been easier to simply go out and buy a candle at a store, recent years have seen a resurgent interest in hand-made, artisanal crafts. The relative simplicity of candle making, essentially taking a wick and either rolling it in wax, dipping it in wax, or pouring it in wax, have made the practice a target for taking the craft out of a large factory and into the hands of individual artisans. Using techniques that have persisted for thousands of years, it is possible to craft a candle more customized than anything that can be found on a shelf.
Why You Should Learn Candle Making Online
Long past are the days when candles were necessary as a source of illumination, but even without this practical purpose candles have retained their usefulness as a household item. While it is possible to consider candles as purely decorative items, it may be more appropriate to view candle making as a stress-relief activity. Not only does picking up the hobby provide the personal satisfaction that accompanies the pursuit of any craft, but also the candles produced by the hobby can be used for a variety of meditative practices. Early ritual candles incorporated scents to induce a therapeutic or meditative effect in a site of importance, and candles today can be crafted by similar means to add aromatherapeutic elements to promote relaxation. Some special candles like lotion candles burn wax whose melted form can be used to moisturize skin, encouraging not just mental but also physical well-being.
Beyond the personal benefits, learning candle making can also be a way to connect with a larger community. Whether through sharing a custom-made candle as a gift for a friend or a loved one or through connecting with other local chandlers at an art fair, candle making provides opportunities for forming a new social network or strengthening the bonds of an existing one. While some local communities may boast a thriving candle making scene, others may be more limited by their geographic location. Virtual methods provide a great alternative for such individuals; in the absence of an established local community, it is possible to tap into one of the many online forums like Reddit where like-minded chandlers across the world gather to share projects and advice.
Virtual Candle Making Classes
The best part about taking a candle making class is the access to an experienced chandler who can demonstrate the techniques of candle making and can respond to any questions or issues in real time. This is a great option for those with an active chandler in their local area, but not everybody is fortunate enough to have access to this type of resource. For whatever reason an in-person candle making course isn’t a realistic option for your location or your schedule, there is still a selection of online candle making classes that provide quality training from experienced chandlers. These classes provide the same quality, real-time access to an expert who can provide step-by-step guidance and feedback and who can respond to any questions or issues that arise during the process, all with the extra flexibility of being able to attend from any location rather than having to commute.
This type of class does, however, require some additional effort in the days leading up to the class. While most in-person classes typically provide materials and a workspace for students, a virtual class doesn’t have that luxury. Thus, anybody attending an online class will need to acquire the necessary material beforehand and will need to set aside some workspace in their home. Some online classes do ship materials to participants’ home addresses, though this practice is not standard, and should not be expected.
Love & Make, a Houston-based organization, conducts a Virtual Candle Making Workshop accessible to anyone with an internet connection. In this class, a live instructor will walk you through the steps of creating your own soy wax candles at home. Not only will you complete the course having made a hand-poured candle of your own, but you’ll get enough tips, tricks, and troubleshooting methods to continue making more candles at home on your own time. As an online course, this class expects you to provide your own materials. Love & Make sells a DIY Candle Making Kit that provides all of the materials you will need in this class, but supplies can also be acquired from other online or local vendors.
Private Online Group Candle Making Classes
Since candle making is a relaxing activity with techniques that novices can pick up with relative ease, candle making is a great low-stakes social event or team-building activity. If you’re looking for an opportunity for your team to interact and bond in a lighthearted manner, Then one of CourseHorse’s live online candle making classes for private groups is just the thing you need.
The Virtual Candle Making class from CourseHorse is the perfect activity for a group to bond over a fun, low-pressure candle making experience. An expert instructor will guide you step-by-step through the process and techniques of candle making, all while emphasizing the fun and relaxing elements of the hobby. Candles are used for comfort, so candlemaking should be done in a position of comfort; grab a drink and some snacks while you unwind with your team and create something lovely.
While many virtual classes expect you to acquire your own materials before the class, this class provides materials, giving you one less thing to worry about. CourseHorse will send a candle making kit to the home address of each participant, including enough wax, wicks, candle tins, and fragrance oils to create two candles, as well as miscellaneous supplies for handling wax like a melting/pouring pitcher and a wax-stirring stick.
Booking a private class with CourseHorse is simple. Even if you don’t have a precise headcount for your group, CourseHorse can schedule the date for you but won’t finalize payment until you’ve finalized your group, so you can easily change your group size after booking. Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a confirmation within 24 hours, and your event provider will reach out to personally introduce themselves and provide additional helpful details about the class. CourseHorse recommends using Zoom as a virtual platform, but can easily accommodate other platforms like Microsoft Teams and Google Meets at your convenience.
Online vs. In-Person Candle Making Classes
While the best way to master the techniques of candle making is to enroll in a class taught by an experienced instructor, those classes can be delivered in either an online or an in-person format. While both methods have their own advantages, it is important to consider which one is most appropriate for your given situation.
In-person classes are often considered the gold standard of instruction. They provide ready access to an expert instructor who can demonstrate each step and who can answer any questions that may arise during the process, which is often the fastest, most effective way of acquiring the necessary techniques. These classes are also a great opportunity to get to know other candle makers, and to start building a sense of local community.
The major barrier to attending an in-person class is geographical. Unfortunately, many people don’t have access to an in-person class held near their home, and commuting to the nearest class can be an unreasonable task. An online class is a great way to overcome this sort of barrier, providing the same real-time access to an expert who can provide direct guidance and troubleshoot specific problems or answer specific questions. These classes are also a great opportunity to connect with a community, though that community may not be strictly local. Another consideration for this sort of class is the acquisition of materials; while in-person classes typically provide materials to students, most online classes place the burden of buying supplies on the individual.
Can I Learn Candle Making for Free Online?
Any hobbyist knows how easy it is to sink money into a hobby. Sometimes the startup cost can be so great that entering into the hobby is prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, it is easy to get started in candle making with minimal investment, so you can get into the hobby without having to spend too much upfront. There are plenty of free online resources, including step-by-step instructional blogs and video tutorials that let you learn the basics of candle making at your own pace. If you’re more serious about candle making, or have already gotten started and have found the free resources to be somewhat limited, formal training from a candle making expert is generally a preferable method for learning. The guided instruction, rather than following along with pre-written or pre-recorded material, helps most people to learn faster or to troubleshoot the particular issues they may be having.
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