What effect does the addition of cold wax medium have on an oil painting?

This question can be answered simply. Wax provides numerous advantages to painters, such as extending and adding body to oil paint, aiding in drying time, and improving transparency and workability. It also allows artists to create textured effects and layers without requiring a special setup or ventilation. However, these advantages only partially reflect the properties and potential of using cold wax. With time, you develop a greater appreciation for the medium's versatility and capabilities. It's crucial to stay open-minded and explore new possibilities, as you will certainly discover exciting and innovative methods to work with it.

'Through The Trees' Oil & Cold Wax on Canvas 91 x 91 x 4 cm

Surface Impasto

The painting 'Through The Trees' exemplifies a blend of diverse techniques. My Forest series is dedicated to creating textural variations through the development of a rich impasto surface. In the details below, you can observe how the paint has been layered, carved, and incised to convey movement, energy, and depth. The initial layers of cold wax were applied with a large spatula and spread across the canvas using a rubber-bladed squeegee. Various types and sizes of squeegees were employed to modify the scale and dimensions of the marks. Dragging paint with cold wax naturally produces striations and structural marks, which can be further enhanced with crumpled paper, card, and aluminum foil. You may wish to explore the work of the German painter Gerhardt Richter to observe his use of a squeegee on large canvases. I always recommend experimenting with a variety of tools and implements to discover what works best for you, as we all have unique skills and preferences.

'Through The Trees' Close-up of surface texture

Drying Time

Incorporating cold wax medium into oil paint significantly reduces drying time, offering numerous benefits. This allows for minimal waiting between layer applications, enabling continuous work as your ideas and creativity evolve. Completing a painting in a single session becomes feasible, although it requires adjusting to the interactions between paint layers. While drying is not immediate, the varying stages of dryness and fluidity can be advantageous. These stages will naturally fluctuate depending on studio conditions, the season, the consistency of the cold wax medium, and other factors. The primary advantage is that faster drying enhances paint handling and expedites the painting process.

'Through The Trees' Oil & Cold Wax (Detail)

Translucency

The opacity of paint layers can be modified by incorporating cold wax. Oil pigments range from very transparent to somewhat opaque, allowing artists to enhance the depth and intensity of their work. The cold wax medium accentuates these characteristics, facilitating the use of matte, satin, and highly glazed finishes. Specific sections of the painting can be burnished to enhance the surface and textures. In this piece, I utilized titanium white impasto for the sky and, the following day, applied a layer of Indian yellow thinned with cold wax medium. Occasionally, I combine linseed oil with the cold wax to increase translucency and gloss.

'Through The Trees' Oil & Cold Wax (Detail)

Mark Making and Serendipity

This detail showcases my technique of using mark-making to bring the canvas surface to life. Allowing the wax to dry for several hours makes it possible to etch into it, preserving various incisions and marks. The result of this drawing or inscribing depends on the thickness of the wax layers beneath and the stage of drying. After a day of drying, you can achieve sharper, more defined lines and textures. Experience is essential for accurate judgment. However, the benefit is that experimenting poses no real risks, and sometimes, unexpected outcomes can be the most impactful. Embrace serendipity.

'Through The Trees' Oil & Cold Wax on Canvas (Detail)

Palette Knives and Paint Brushes

A discussion about cold wax medium wouldn't be complete without mentioning palette knives. I've been using different knives for my recent forest series. A palette knife allows you to apply cold wax pigment in a sculptural way, which is crucial. If you want to create texture, a palette knife is essential. However, be cautious and choose knives with thin, flexible blades for a better feel and control. Knives with limited flexibility hinder expressive mark-making and create a barrier between you and the paint medium.

And finally... Finding the Perfect Note

While this section may not focus directly on cold wax, it addresses a crucial aspect of the painting process. When I work with tonal, textural, and color contrasts between objects and their background to achieve optimal balance, I use a method akin to visual tuning. If you play a stringed instrument and regularly adjust the string tension to maintain proper tuning, you'll understand this concept. Tuning an instrument serves as an apt analogy. With my acoustic guitar, I begin by loosening the string tension so the pitch is below the desired note, then gradually increase the tension to reach the correct pitch. The reference note is either another fretted string or a digital tuner. I repeat this process multiple times, adjusting back and forth until the note is perfectly tuned. This mirrors the painting process, where all colors, tones, and textures exist in relation to one another. My point is that in painting, tones, colors, and textures are interdependent. The benefit of using cold wax is that these relationships can be quickly established and modified, accelerating the decision-making process. I hope this article assists you in your painting endeavors.

'Through The Trees' in a room setting