I’ve been getting quite a few questions recently about one of my tools: cold wax medium. So, I thought I would make a little video about it for you all to enjoy!
Watch the video and let me know what you think – what special tools do you use in your art practice?
In gratitude, Nicholas
PS I’m starting my free online workshop soon and I would love to have you come along. To register, just go to www.artlifejoy.com
PSS You can order some of the cold wax medium I use by going here: https://tinyurl.com/y8ede2e6
107 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
no sound?
No sound???
Cant wait to hear about the wax medium !
I had no sound either. Ferris???
No sound for me either…..
no sound here either.
No sound
Maybe he’ll read the comments later and give us sound.
Cold wax is something I was wondering about.
I have gone deaf!
Yup… still no sound.
No sound
I understand that cold wax should only be used with oil. Once you put the cold wax and oil over the acrylic, you continue to work with oil, correct? Would love to see more cold wax videos.
Yes cold wax and oil can be applied over acrylic but not visa versa. Acrylic can be used for an underpainting then a coat of clear gesso to give the surface some tooth and then you can use oil & cold wax mixed 50/50. I love this medium! see Rebecca Crowell youtube videos.
Thank you!
I love to draw on black and coloured paper using the colour of the paper for one of the three tones, dark, medium and light as tone was the most difficult for me to comprehend and use as I end of working purely in one tone only!
Most successful with the Cretacolour pencils which can be very delicate it would be interesting for me to use paint on black paper or a black background just have to get down and do it now!
Diana Covent Garden
no sound here either.
I use wax as a resist when I’m painting with brusho. I also use bleach,
although I’m not so over keen on it
No sound!
No sound here
No sound!
No sound
No sound!!! 🔇
No sound here either.
Can’t hear the audio!
No sound here either
No sound for me. Thought it was my fault.
No audio….;-(
915 am Sunday, mountain time, awoke to some snow on the ground, roofs, trees! But can’t get audio! I really want to watch how you do this! Great that you’re doing this, and I love that the Sunday videos are short! Thanks…will watch and hope I understand, without sound.
Thanks for sharing the video, it’s always fun to incorporate new things in our methods. I found making my own stamp out of recycled styrofoam container lids to be quite interesting. All you need is a pen to draw your design, acrylic paint, there is some resistance with paint on the styrofoam beading up, but I think it enhances the out come.
I love this idea! Thanks!
What a shame – no sound.
no sound and I would have really liked to hear about the cold wax.
No sound😕
Hey Everyone I apologize on behalf of my team! I am working hard to get the sound back!
I gratefully look forward to hearing the content of this video
Thank you 🙂
Can I use this as a finish over an acrylic painting? I am definitely going to get this for my oils! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, I use it as a finishing step on my mixed media or acrylic paintings.
There’s sound now and it’s great- thanks!
Love cold wax on my panels when I finish. Often people ask if my paintings are encaustic. Thanks Nick, always find your posts helpful or at very least nice to see and hear you.
Intriguing . I’ve only used it to rub into finished painting. I will try it. Love tips on materials, tools, process. 🙏
What oils are you using that are so liquid? Thanks for the cold wax talk, i have some and wasn’t sure how to use it, can’t wait to try!
Thank you
Dear Nicholas, it is always a pleasure to read your posts. Many years ago, I studied with an artist who used materials popular the 1960’s, including granulated Lucite 44. I have lost all my old notes and recipes, but I made several cold wax mediums under his tutelage which I did use for encaustic, as well as an oil medium. I used to blend oil and encaustic to see how it would work and last. Lately I’ve been using the fashionable faddish craft paints ” Annie Sloan” on recycled furniture and there are several liquid cold wax finishes which include solvent in their formulation. I have no idea how stable they are, but I like to experiment. In all of the articles about the recent DaVinci sale, backstories included mentions of his propensity for experimental techniques and materials, and that that caused his paintings to deteriorate so often that there are just those few we know of left intact. I don’t know how long cold wax dissolved in turps or mineral spirits has been used, but it seems like it should be as lasting as anything else, unless it is in a fire. Thank you for your inspiration.
Worth waiting for the sound. Thanks
Thanks, Nicholas. Yes, worth waiting for.
I saw a demo once that showed the person heating up the cold was a bit … not too much, but until you could see that sheen. Then she let that dry, then buffed it, then heated it again. She wouldn’t buff that until the next day. Maybe that’s more than necessary? But what about heating it after sealing?
Cold wax medium should not be heated, noxious fumes are released due to the damar resin used to make CWM
Thanks for the reply. I assumed that one would need good ventilation as you do with encaustic. I wondered if it made the cold wax adhere better, assuming precautions were taken. Does it? I should also assume that Nicholas would have added the heating process if that were necessary. It is necessary with encaustic. Thanks again!
I was wondering how that oil paint was so liquid, what kind is it, or did you mix with something? I love the look of cold wax, I have some that I’ve been wanting to try. Now I’m going to thank you Nicholas.
I’m wondering about that creamy liquid oil paint also. I find it very distracting to work with paint right out of the tube. Do you mix it with medium and put it in squeeze bottles?
I’ve been wondering about that oil paint in a bottle, too. I don’t notice that it is more transparent like it would be with a medium in it. It would help with some initial stages when using oil paint.
I forgot to mention before, that you can add damar varnish or other materials to your cold wax paste.
I’ve always been curious about this. Thanks, thats exciting!i just ordered some cold wax medium on Amazon. Wondering what you’re putting in your oils to make them so liquid when you begin? Thanks Nicholas, as always…:)…Cj
Hi Nicholas
Thanks for the video. Is the buffed cold wax your final finish – ie eliminates any need for varnishing?
Thanks for demonstrating. I will try this. Scrumptious finish!
Yes please, what paint were you using?
I’m so glad i tried this again….you must have fixed it cos i was also have trouble with the sound. i was especially interested in this video cos i’ve just purchased some cold wax, and have been very inspired to try this medium……i saw your interview with Jerry McLaughlin (opps i think that’s not his last name!!!) and was so inspired to purchase the book he and Rebecca Crowell .. oh dear i could go downstairs and get the book right…but i know you’ll know what i’m referring to. It is a fabulous book and i’m excited to try this new medium. thanks again Nick, as always very inspiring!
Names are right LOL. Awesome book Cold Wax Medium but can’t afford the shipping cost to Canada!
yeah, i know it was very expensive, luckily i put it on my wish list for christmas from my daughters!! i’m also in Canada.
Is this product compatible with acrylic? Thanks Nicholas – love your work – cheers.
Oil & cold wax can be applied over acrylic but not acrylic mixed with cold wax or acrylic over oil.
PS – sound on laptop was turned to mute – just unmute and bingo.
Thanks for the explanation and demonstration with cold wax. However, I use acrylic paints and wondered what product would be the counterpart of cold wax. I would think that acrylic gel medium would get the same results when painting with acrylics.
I really love the flexibility of cold wax and have used it so many ways. One thing I have found to be interesting is to lay down some oil paint, then work the wax into it directly on the surface. It is truly controlled chaos, but it provides an interesting effect. I almost always work the wax with gloved hands. The wax, depending on the viscosity, provides the ability to create fabulous and varied textures. Making cold wax yourself is very easy. I fill a jar with R&F beeswax (which is very fine) and cover it with orange terpene. Allow that to sit until the wax has melted into the terpene. It is a simple recipe that works brilliantly. You can control the texture of the cold wax by varying the proportions.
So, cold wax can be used be mixed with oil paints, but not acrylic paints, correct? However, it sounds like it can be used to put a shine on dried acrylic paintings, right? Do you use this instead of a varnish or do you use varnish sometimes and cold wax at other times? Thanks!
Now we can hear you! Thanks Nicholas, I’m going to try this on a painting I was going to resin. I think this will be a more delicate shine. You videos are always so timely.
I’m unfamiliar with oil paint that pours from a bottle. Do you purchase it that way or modify the tube paint?
Yes I asked that question a while ago but never got an answer. I’d love to know too!
Yes I’d like to know. Have googled it but no luck
I’m also curious about oil paint that can be poured.
Thanks for sharing. Always learn something from you. Questions, can it be used with acrylic paint and if not is there a similar product which can be used with acrylic paint?
Deb
Thanks or the demo! Once polished and dried does dust stick to it?
Can you use it with acrylic paint????
I’m hoping you get a response to this question, Sandy, because I was about to ask the same thing.
You can not mix it with acrylic paint. Only oil.
Turpentine and water do not mix. Cold wax has turpentine in it.
I’ve been experimenting with cold wax for a short while and I love the result. Depending on the amount used, it can give your paint a certain translucency as well as texture. I haven’t tried the application once the painting is dry. It sounds interesting, I’m going to give it a shot. Don’t know if you can see the effect of cold wax on this figure, but it was my first time using. Thanks for the video Nicholas
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b656d37b80f65b7ce8aa39144d4f46a2aeea97ec3089b2ad35572b5b3293f506.jpg
lovely picture there. Can I ask (Im a total beginner) your black outlines that appear in some places, is that ink , charcoal??
It is paint done with thinned Mars black using a rigger brush. I like the calligraphic look. Thanks for the comment 😉
I ordered some today. I think you’ve convinced me to get painting with oils again. xx
Thank you! That was awesome! I have always been interested in cold wax, but I have some health issues with oil paints. I have heard that you can put “fat over lean” is the bufferable cost of plain wax ok to use over acrylics?
Wow, I have never heard of cold wax and am excited to experiment with it both as a finish and in thickening acrylic. Also going to experiment using it on a toothy substrate to create a smooth substraight and see what happens when I paint using alcohol ink.
Thanks Nicholas!!
Thanks for talking about cold wax, Nick. I’ve used it for years as a additive to my painting medium and love it’s properties of thickening and providing a satin finish. There is also a new book out specifically on this medium by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin, called Cold Wax Medium. It’s very comprehensive. One other great property along with protecting your painting as a final finish is that beeswax repels dust! Rather than the classic sticky shiny Damar varnish that attracts everything you end up with a with a lovely clean consistent surface.
Great that the sound now works. Demos are always great! We visual people need that! Question: cold wax on the painted board–can you put it over oil OR acrylic (either?) once they’re dry?
Is this wax compatible with acrylic paints? Watercolor?
Thanks!
No, you can’t mix it with acrylic paint, but you can use to finish your art off after it’s dry.
Thanks xx
Thanks! Appreciate the info!
I have that exact tub! I’ve used it to antique fabric jewelry.
I would like to try this over my large acrylic paintings. Because a number of them, on both paper and canvas, are rolled and shipped to buyers in other countries, I am wondering – will the wax withstand rolling without cracking? Anybody had experience with this? What about temperature extrremes that might be found in global shipping?
Really useful interesting technique sharing going on there! Never used cold wax, but I do use a lot of oil paint so I will definitely be giving some of these techniques a try. I am wondering if using your technique on a more pliable surface (linen) would be a problem ( also for rolling shipping and re stretching….). It looks like you are usually using a rigid substrate… Thank-you for your kind information Nicholas
Thank you! Never heard of this and I’m going to start using it as I needed something other than gesso to build up my paints! And as a finish…I’m EXCITED to try this now!!!
Glad you got the audio fixed. I’ve been using coldwax a long time. I love it for putting transparent glazed of color over a painting. I work on panels so I don’t have to worry about the wax to paint ratio.
Can you use cold wax to finish off an acrylic painting? Thanks!
Ann, many artists who paint with oil and cold wax will start with an acrylic underpainting. It is recommended to use a barrier between the acrylic painting and the oil layers, but not all artists do that. You shouldn’t use acrylic the oils.
The Cold Wax Medium book by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin is a great resource for all thing related to painting with cold wax.
Thanks!
I know to do acrylics first.
Thought since the rule is
oil over acrylics it would allow cold wax over acrylics, too.
🦋🌼🦋🌷🦋😃🦋🌷🦋🌼🦋
Very interesting. I’m going to order some today. Can I also ask what you mix with your oils to make them run so freely. I notice, for instance, that you keep your white in a squeezy bottle!
Can you use cold wax on thickly textured oil paintings or do they have to be relatively smooth?
Your oil paint is pourable, is it a certain kind you use or do you thin your oil paints?
I have asked this in previous posts but never found the answer. I would like to know too!
I am wondering if he uses oil based house paint for pouring…..if regular artists oils can be used over it.
thanks Nicholas ! I have a question……Can we use 3with acrylic. You said it is compatible with oil painting but what about acrylic ?
Intriquing! Love learning new tips and techniques. I am a watercoloris…would this cold wax work to preserve a finished painting?
Thanks for all your tips!
Deb
thank you so much for sharing this. I had not come across it before. I was a potter previously and can really relate to the value and beauty of creating an invitingly tactile object
I suspect it’s oil based house paint.
Very informative. Thank you for the video on cold wax.
I have tried mixing cold wax with acrylic and was surprised that it can be done. Perhaps the oil paint gives more flexibility, but it is possible.