Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Celtic Illumination, part 10, Happy fecking Christmas

I am sorry to have to say this but some of you will not make it.   Of the tens of thousands of people who faithfully study this blog very, very, few will actually make it to the exalted position of master candle maker.  For some it is the dream of a constant stream of beautiful women, or men if you’re a British public school boy.  For others it’s the enormous wealth, not having to want for anything.  Some relish the dangers, the excitement, or the cloak and dagger aspects of candle making that SAS people dream about.
But I am sorry to say that only very special individuals will make it.  I could produce a list of skills, like with any job specification, which could be categorised under essential, desired, and what do you mean by that?   However candle making is an evolving and challenging discipline which requires the same flexible approach from each candidate.  Candle making is not for life, nor is it for Christmas, although you will generally find that this is your most productive time of year, when the fat man sings.
Take for example the point we have reached in our breakdown of the apprenticeship of a master candle maker, we are almost at stage one, making a model.  Sure we have covered latex and Vinamold, but what about the model?  What are we going to make it from?  Are we going to do a Leonardo and carve it from a lump of marble?  What size do we want?  What sort of Celtic Knot pattern do we want to put on the side of the candle.

This is the point where many apprentices down tools, say feck it and simply go to the website and buy a Celtic knot love heart candle.  Some take it home and say look what I’ve made, like the fishermen we discussed in an earlier blog.

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