In 2015 I took a workshop from a well known cold wax artist. One goal of taking the workshop was to help add more of a impressionistic value to my traditional paintings. The workshop fulfilled my expectations more than I expected and I haven’t looked back since.
For those of you that are not familiar with this medium, cold wax is a soft paste made with unbleached beeswax, alkyd resin and odorless mineral spirits. Some artists make their own mediums, but I prefer the ready made products of Gamblin or Dorland’s. The finish is similar to encaustic but the cold wax process does not require the use of heat or special ventilation. The cold wax medium is mixed directly with oil paint and spread onto the canvas using mostly non-traditional art tools such as palette knives, brayers, squeegees, and silicone bladed painting tools. I also use use stiff bristle brushes and non-traditional tools to achieve textures and finishes (everything from cookie cutters to stamps). With this process you are only limited by your imagination.
My cold wax medium paintings are composed of many layers of oil paint mixed with the medium and applied to hardboard cradled panels. I tend to use thin, less opaque layers to allow for quicker drying time between layers, and the build-up allows a subtle luminous quality and variance in the layers.
I have also experimented with using Arches oil paper. While you would typically apply the medium to hardboard because of the danger of cracking, you can use paper for oil painting as long as the final product is mounted to a stable surface.
I love the way cold wax allows freedom of movement and expression.
Tools of the trade! (brayer, charcoal, palette knife, powder pigments, medium, embossed paper)
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