The true method of knowledge is experiment. (William Blake)
Lately, I had the opportunity to take a Cold Wax Medium workshop with Melinda Cootsona. It was a perfect compliment to my previous workshop I took with Martin Campos. CWM has changed my perceived way of creating by lending a process in which artistic play and experimentation occurs. Cold wax effects are created by using many layers thick and thin, transparent and opaque, using brayers, squeegees, pallet knives, etc. Through scraping and scratching you are able to discover the underlying layers of colors and affects. Adding to and taking away creates an intuitive process that allows the artist and art to reveal itself. Reduction becomes as important as adding to. What is underneath becomes as important as what is on the surface. Isn’t that true about our lives as well?
Currently, I’m aware of three brands of Cold Wax Medium; Gamblin, Dorland and Evans. Evans also makes a Cold Wax Paint. Gamblin’s CWM is simply a pharmaceutical grade beeswax, Gamsol and a small amount of alkyd resin. As the Gamsol evaporates out of the medium the soft wax harden, similar to the consistency of wax of a candle. The difference between CWM and encaustic is that CWM can be malleable without heat; the Gamsol is the heat substitute. There is a special medium for encaustic. CWM should not be heated. And it is wise to not mix the different brands of CWM, since the brands have different ingredients. The advantage to using Gamblin brand is that the mediums that they provide are compatible with the wax.
Cold Wax Medium can be mixed directly with oil paint; usually a mixture of 30% to 50% wax. When using CWM in higher percentages on stretched canvas it is best to first add to the wax 25-50% Galkyd Gel, Solvent-Free Gel, or for a more fluid mixture, Galkyd. These mediums aid in giving flexibility to the CWM. The more medium added to the wax the faster the layer will dry and the more wax added the more translucent the layer. When using on rigid supports you can use a higher amount of CWM. Although the rigid supports help, the more wax used the softer more dissolvable the paint layer. Using some medium helps strengthen the wax. If you prefer a gloss finish you can add Neo Meglip and Galkyd G-Gel by Gamblin to the CWM. For texture marble dust, sand, coffee, graphite powder, powdered lime, coffee ground, powdered pigment, and even dirt can be added to mixture. I’m sure there are other grounds you can explore.
CWM allows you to have a variety of layers. No longer is it necessary to have lean first you can mix the thickness of layers using different ratios of wax to paint and grounds.
A variety of supports can be used with CWM, although the more flexibility the support the more fragile the painting will be. It is recommended to use thinner layers of wax on canvas and paper. The various supports are Arches Oil Paper (doesn’t have to be gessoed) and comes in two sizes, other types of paper may be used but it must be gessoed, Gessoed Canvas, Gessoed Boards, canvas boards and cradled boards. When using Arches Oil Paper it should be mounted on board and it should be framed under glass. Priming your support first with a solid color of oil paint is advantageous to prevent seeing white of support when scraping. Also, it may be better to be working on more than one support to account for drying time.
CWM is not necessarily new, but the ways in which it is being used are. Thus there are new avenues to explore and discover. Nothing is written in stone yet.
Because there is so much information I decided to have a two-part post on Cold Wax Medium. Next week’s post will be about techniques and tools.
Below are some links in the mean time I think you will find helpful.
Rebecca Crowell will be publishing a book on CWM “Cold Wax Medium: Technique, Concepts & Conversations” that will be out late 2016, but sorry to say the first edition has already been presold. She did mention that there would be an additional release in 2017.
In the meantime, I found “Wabi Sabi Painting with Cold Wax, Adding Body, Texture and Transparency to your Art” very helpful, especially in techniques.
Oil and Wax Resources for Cold Wax Painting
Step by Step CW Painting by Sherril Kahn
If you have any questions please add them to comments below. I will then answer them in the next post. Thank you!
Very interesting Janet, thanks for this great blog!
Thank you Irmgard, hopefully I will have Part two for you by the end of the week. Always appreciate your response.
[…] is part two of my Cold Wax post covering tools and applications. Please read part one before continuing if you haven’t done so. We’ve talked about the supports and types […]
Bryan is my favourite of your artwork so far.
Just signed up to your blog and thank you.
Unfortunately we cannot get Gamblin Cold Wax Medium in South Africa but on my next trip oversees I will definitely get some.
Hi Sharon, thank you so much. You know I think that you can also make your own wax. If your interested let me know, I will see if I can find the recipe for you.
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Hello Janet,
I have an oil and cwm on oil paper with a 3/8 white border..will be matting and using glass. piece is not Totally dry. A spacer will be used to allow air circulation… is that enough so as to not have fogging on glass… any recommendation for glass..regular, conservation or museum …any preference as far as either eliminating or causing more fogging?
Thank you for your time. ps… I am the framer not the cwm artist.
Clementine
Is there any possibility of a class in this cold wax medium?
Where do you live Karen?
[…] this painting. I could see this piece eventually becoming a beautiful 36″ x 36″ square “Cold Wax” and Oil painting. It is getting me so excited talking about it I feel a need to paint it […]
Hi Janet, well the CWM sounds like a whole new adventure in oil painting. I’m wondering how expensive to get started.
I guess I’ll start comparing the canvas with the oil paper that I’ll need. I guess the most expensive would be framing. I have a friend who can do a great job with pastels, so that would probably work.
Also, I remember Michael (Linstrom) mentioning you often. I think I would enjoy being part of your blog. I could use some new and fresh take on oil painting. I’ve only been painting for 30 years.. ha ha. Thanks for all the time you have given to this subject of CWM.
Thank you! This is very helpful! I just finished a cold wax painting on stretched, gessoed canvas. I’ve read that I need to stabilize it somehow, even to the point of having it professionally adhered to a panel. Is this true? I used about 50/50 ratio and I love the result. I have a buyer and I am now worried about the stability. What do you suggest? Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Kristen,
Was your canvas on stretcher bars? Did you use a Galkyd with your mix? It should be 1/3rd galkyd, 1/3 cold wax, and 1/3rd oil paint. If you paint on canvas it should be done in thinner layers. I would advise in the future to paint on Arches oil paper, then mount it or on board if you want to paint thicker. I have painted on canvas, but it was on stretcher bars prior, and it seems very stable.
Hi Sandra,
I don’t know why I haven’t seen this message before. I don’t think cold wax medium is that expensive. It actually extends your oil paint. If you like texture it is a great medium. You don’t have to frame the medium unless it’s on paper. Arches oil paper is great though and I love that I can store it easily. It really holds on to the medium and creates wonderful marks.
Thank you this was helpfull. I would like to know, what do you mean by the word “stable”. Because I ‘ve started with CWM and did a small painting of a dog. I’ ve used normal streched box canvas that I have brought in an art shop. I am afraid to use CWM in conjunction with other mediums like, Resin, Alkyd, linseed/poppy oil, ect. I also find that it dries more slowly and if I put layers on, it gets all muddy. What can the reason be for that, should I wait for layers to dry.
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