I love finding new media to work with, but I also love finding media that solves a problem! I often work with oil paint and Cold Wax Medium. It is a lovely way to work, the CWM speeds up the drying time of the oils considerably. The result is a lush paste that you can spread on, build up in layers, embed collage papers in, and scrape back to reveal underlayers. I often use it to seal and protect a finished acrylic painting as it provides a waterproof seal, similar to varnish but with a lovely patina
The down-side of Cold Wax Medium is that it contains solvent. You can get solvent mediums to use with oil paint such as Gamblins Solvent Free Gel but that does not contain wax. It is the wax that gives the paint the texture, drying time and working properties that I love.
Before I continue, I want to say it is not my intention to write a blog criticizing this product. The problems I had with it are from my own experience, and due to my trying hard to get it to replicate the way I work with traditional cold wax. Others may have had a very different experience. This is just my personal point of view.
There is a lot to like about this Water Based Cold Wax (I am abbreviating to WBCW) If you want a medium that is solvent free, dries matte, can be scraped back then it is fabulous. It is a creamy white product with the consistency of soft gel. It contains no binder so it has to be mixed with a product that will bind it ie acrylic polymer. The instructions state it can be mixed with acrylics to bind it, or the makers own binder. I was advised acrylic, acrylic medium and GAC100 would all act as binders which makes sense as they are all polymer based.
One thing I found hard to get hold of was any technical information. The only ingredients listed are wax and a product used in a lot of water based mediums to stop it going mouldy. I couldn’t even find out what type of wax it contains, different distributors told me it was paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax. I emailed the company who make it a list of questions but other than an email a week later saying they would get back to me but to date they haven’t. Clearly there was no technical support team. This surprised me as all the companies whose products I use: Golden, Williamsburg, Gamblin have mountains of technical information about their products and technical teams on hand to answer questions. Whilst I accept this company mostly make craft products for hobbyists it is an established international company and their WBCW is marketed as a painting medium for professional artists.
The product is sold through distributors who also run workshops using craft products made by the company. The distributors run the FB groups. I did get help from two delightful distributors, But even though they are trained by the company they either couldn’t answer all my questions, or gave me conflicting information. I was variously told it could/could not be mixed with oil paint, could built in thick layers/layers must be thin, could be painted over with acrylic/could not, should/shouldn’t be varnished. It was suggested I ask on the FB groups but that didn’t bring forth any further information as most of the members are creating craft with a different product made by the same company. One FB group admin wouldn’t accept my posts, presumably I was asking questions that she had not been trained to answer, another helpfully tagged the boss of Powertex but they didn’t respond.
The questions I asked were ones I often get asked about Cold Wax Medium;
- What ratio of paint to wax should it be mixed?
- How long to dry between layers?
- Can you go back on a dried layer?
- Do you need to varnish?
- What substrates are suitable?
- At what temperature will it soften or melt?
- Will it go brittle over time or in cold climate?
Finally I decided to do some tests of my own using acrylics. In the absence of any recommended ratios I mixed it in varying ratios with Golden Heavy body and put layers on pieces of card. I didn’t do these tests with the intention of writing a blog post, so they are scrappy and unscientific! I was sharing my findings with a friend so taking bad photos But you get the idea!
As I expected the paint loses its gloss when mixed with WBCW. The texture of the mixed paint is smooth and matte, not as thick and paste-like as traditional CWM. However, unlike traditional CWM my 50/50 mix dried within minutes if laid down thinly, thicker layers took about an hour to be touch dry.
One thing I love to do with oil and cold wax medium is scrape back, and on this aspect the WBCW didn’t disappoint. I painted a piece of card with black gesso before applying a mix of WBCW and acrylic. Even after days, and then weeks it a was possible to scrape back to reveal black lines. But I couldn’t get anyone to tell me how long it would take to be fully dry. It is two months since I made the test pieces with one layer and I can still scrape it back. Which leads me to think it would be problematic selling work that remains so soft. I gather from a distributor if I buff it with a soft cloth it will be both waterproof and hard, I have yet to try that.
A month after making my test pieces I took a babywipe to one card that had a 50/50 mix on one side and straight HB on the other. The colour came off the WSWM mix side. I went in with a brush full of water and could smooth the surface leaving a puddle of coloured water. Clearly when they say it is watersoluble they mean it! I can only presume the acrylic remains wet and suspended in the wax.
But I really wanted this product to work for me, I was loving how it handled! So I decided that maybe it’s solubility was a good thing. If it is watersoluble it is absorbent in some way so receptive to more wet layers? I made a 70/30 mix of WSWM with Golden Fluid Titanium white and spread it with a knife over the dried red mix. I left an edge high on purpose as I wanted something to pull on when it was dry. The next day I pulled on the edge and it all pulled away like a ‘skin’.
I had been told the wax should be applied to an absorbent surface but also that building layers was possible even once the wax is dry. However my findings proved this was not the case. Clearly building layers wet in wet is fine, but a day-old dry layer is not sufficiently absorbent to adhere a subsequent layer. By now my main concern was adhesion, if layers will not adhere they will eventually delaminate resulting in unstable artwork.
I had been advised that WBCW could be used as an adhesive. I wanted to see how it adhered collage paper either to paper or to a dried layer of WBCW/Acrylic. I created a collage paper using the same white acrylic/WSWM mix and let it dry for a few hours. Then using a mix of WSWM and matte medium I glued it onto plain paper. I then went on to adhere some plain collage papers using just WBCW and a mix of WBCW/Matte Medium. Having collaged onto paper I then glued the same papers with the same mixes onto a layer of one day old dried WBCW/ Acrylic paint.
The next day I went in to see if I could peel any of them off. As expected the WSWM alone, or mixed with matte medium were both fine as adhesives onto PAPER as the paper is absorbent. The true test was how well collage materials either made using WSWM and paint, or just paint, would adhere to a WSWM layer. I scored down the center with a sharp knife to give me an edge to pull. I did video this, but the screen shots below show you the results. Disappointingly, as the photos show nothing was adhering to the red acrylic/ WSWM layer, it all peeled off with very little force. This is the opposite of using traditional cold wax medium. With that the adage is ‘wax loves wax’: if every layer has just some CWM in the mix it will adhere to a layer underneath. Nothing will adhere to a dried layer of WSWM, not even WSWM.
At that point I realized I was wasting my valuable time, the way I build paintings in layers incorporating collage elements was not going to be possible with this medium. This is a great product and if you work alla prima, want a wax/paint mix as a final layer on a painting, or as a seal for painting (presuming the buffing actually works) to waterproof it then try it. But this is NOT a replacement for traditional Cold Wax Medium despite being advertised as being suitable for “cold wax techniques“. Personally I think they should rebrand it to prevent further confusion, do their own tests, provide more technical help ……..oh, and answer emails.
I have tried a couple of waterbased wax products … they are designed to make a final coat on (acrylic) craft painting on wood or furniture …OR to buff in to replicate lime wash on clean wood. and that is fine. I original encountered cold wax at Brighton College of Art – a tutor suggested trying it rubbed on as a finish for watercolor – years later I find it stained the paper, and not in an interesting way. (That was the era of Cow Gum …which also penetrated and stained paper horribly).
Sally, as you have been a Golden “ambassador” …what do they have to say about attempting, with acrylic chemistry, to replicate the behavior of the original beeswax or modern oil chemical waxes when used with oil paint as “cold wax” techniques?
Hi I use Dorlands on paper it’s whiter than others as its a mix of waxes not just beeswax. It’s lovely as you can mount work on paper on panel and seal it without any varnish etc.
This product isnt acrylic, its wax treated in a way to make it watersoluble, presumably the same science that gives us water soluble oil paint? I can’t imagine Golden being interested in developing a wax product, but I create an encaustic ‘effect’ with acrylics learnt from Golden using soft gel matt and a tiny amount of any yellow/orange to warm it into a beeswax colour. I teach it on my Collage Creations using layers of collage papers embedded in the mix. Image here
https://sallyhirst.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/eff2726f8a685abf73b955dc3546797b.0.jpg
Thanks for doing this comprehensive study. I appreciate it.
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Sadly a crappy product as I too have tried everything I could possibly think of especially for permanent adhesion.I too am disappointed being that I’ve purchased not only the medium but also the Powertex hardener in hopes that was the magic potion. I hate to wate so maybe by hope and faith I will have an epiphany and can come up with something interesting.
I feel your pain Layton! They should call it something else and change the website description… misleading at best!
Thanks for your hard work and sharing the results! I would be tempted by this product had I come across it – you are a wonder ( and force) of nature and I sooooo appreciate your courses!!
Thanks Liz ♥
I wasn’t going you write it as it seemed negative? But I didn’t want anyone else to waste their time and money.
Hi Sally,
As I use cold wax medium to seal my Akua prints when I mount them on wood panels, I was keen to hear that there might be a water-based product. Since it seems to require a porous surface, my application may still work, and I’m considering giving it a try.
Your study is fair and thorough, and doesn’t present a negative impression of the product. You did give the manufacturer ample chance to advise and collaborate with you, and the lack of support is more concerning to me than the results of your tests. I can’t see how anyone could call your post “negative”.
Hi! Yes I’m going to use the rest of my tub as a ‘sealing’ wax. Thanks for your comments too, I agree they had their chance! I also think that better info and branding could improve their sales, its a great product…..just not cold wax medium
Not all things work. Negative or not, you did everyone a service for writing this comprehensive review. Thank you.
Thank you 😊
Thanks for all your efforts and sharing them. I knew if anyone could make this work you could! Having said that, your results are consistent with what I have heard from others, although they did not try as hard as you did. I think a lot of us who have lots of acrylics would love something that DID work.
Thanks Joanmarie… I SO wanted it to work!! 🤪
Thanks for the testing this material and sharing your findings. Helpful and informative…much appreciated.
Thank you 😊
I appreciate this information Sally, you tried incredibly hard to test this product out and your review isn’t negative, it’s simply the truth about this product. It’s sad to me when a company won’t reply to legitimate questions. I’ve learned so much from you and I always look forward to your tips and tricks.
Thanks Glenda.. I had so many mixed emotions! Loving how it scraped back, grumpy when it wouldn’t adhere, and cross with the company for leaving me out it the cold! 🤣
Thank you so much for putting all that time and energy into this exploration, Sally. I so wanted it to work, having had such a horrible reaction to the more traditional CWM. Shame the product isn’t supported with a technical team and the patchy response to your enquiries was disappointing. Oh well, guess it’s back to the drawing board. Sorry about the pun.
It could have been fabulous!… hey ho..
I am making my own cold wax medium by grating my beeswax and using Eucalyptus oil as the solvent. EWorks great and smells delicious
That’s interesting! I tested the Williamsburg oil based wax medium as part of the Jacksons article I wrote but it wouldn’t dry if you added more tan 15% to a mix? Does this dry in the same was as solvent based and do you add a resin?
I was wondering about that product so thank you!!!! Great timing, too. 👍
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Very interesting post, Sally. Your findings match closely with experiments made by another oil/CW artist, who made videos about her process as she tried to use this product (sorry I can’t name her here because her comments were for private consumption, but I’m sure you’ll know her). She could also scrape back the acrylic/WSCW after several weeks, but I’d have to check which substrate she was using.
I know one artist who sells work regularly and who combines acrylic paint with CWM! 😱 She’s a lovely, genuine person, so I didn’t have the heart to contradict her, but I fear for the future of her paintings.
I’m not aware of either of them but thanks! The media we use and how we use it is so important. I had an email recently from someone who had been taught to put acrylic over CWM the idea being as long as you end with CWM its all sealed in.. I told her my story of my literally watching a heavy layer of acrylic peel off a piece of mine in a gallery, I had forgotten I had used CWM as a varnish layer and went back in months later with acrylic. ..I now put a W on the back of any piece I’ve sealed with wax.
Hi Sally! Yes I have also tried powertex cold wax medium, mainly because it was all I could get in Portugal, actual cwm is almost impossible as are any additional materials. I think that’s changing slowly though.
And yes it wasn’t the product I thought it was and did not handle as I expected. So what to do with two medium tubs of it? I think I will experiment and see if I can use it to create a surface texture on paper for some of my other work.
I do know of an artist in Netherlands who uses powertex, she creates portraits and she seems to have no problems. She made a free course on using the product if you are interested?
I’ll probably use mine to wax pages in my sketchbook to stop them sticking together 🤣
I’ve bought CWM from Barna Art in Spain
https://www.barna-art.com/mediums-gel-gamblin-es/gamblin-cold-wax-medium-473-ml but also made it there cheaply using the ‘sin odor’ solvent from DIY stores and local beeswax
Hi Sally: thank you so much for this thorough review! I bought some of this but never made the time to test it like you did. I assumed that IF it was acrylic’s answer to CWM that everyone would be using it! Who knows if Golden has tried to develop one or not, but I am pretty sure they would have. I would like to use mine up as a final varnish layer as you have suggested, but did you find it dried sufficiently? I can imagine that it would make a mess in a sketchbook if it remains tacky!
Hi, Thanks 😊it dries matte and waxy, not tacky at all. The test piece I tried without binder seems to stick fine, but a little binder: gloss or matte medium, or GAC100 would make it stronger.
Thanks so much for all that. I was so excited to find the product, and wondering whether to keep trying it. Thanks to your investigations I know it’s just not safe/durable enough. And too bad the company isn’t more helpful. Cheers to you for sharing what you found, Very helpful info that is saving me from wasting my time any further.
Thanks!!😊
Thank you for this review; I think I’ll avoid it since they won’t explain the ingredients. I make water soluble encaustic with a 1:1:1 (by weight) heated emulsion of beeswax, potassium soap (high quality liquid castile soap), and water. A similar product is available commercially as Cuni water soluble encaustics. I can’t compare it to cold wax medium, since I don’t use that, but it is compatible with oils and many water-based paints.
Thank you so much for that!
Thank you Sally for your time testing of this product. It would have been so nice to b able to work with acrylic inks added to the acrylic and cold wX. Alas, I also have a rather jar of this mess. Oh well, now I know not to trust it.
I’m going to use mine as a sealant on my acrylic pages in my skechbook to stop them sticking together. 😂
Thank you for sharing your experiments Sally! What potential for an exciting product to use with acrylic so a bit disappointing I guess. Very interesting!
I use ‘Zest it’ cwm with my oils & am assured by Jacqui Blackman, the owner of the company, that it’s completely safe to use with my bare hands as it doesn’t contain solvent, did you know that?
It contains a strong chemical that dissolves the wax so I would still wear gloves. Interestingly in the UK there is no requirement for manufacturers to state the ingredients, whilst in the USA there is? This leads to confusion and a misinformed belief that products made here are ‘safer’, particularly when they smell nice 😂
Hi Sally- so glad I came across your thorough review ! I just ordered a large tub, unfortunately before I saw your research. I spent hours trying to find out what wax Power Wax uses, but am now warned- do not have a clue how I. will use this– a waste of $50 – thank you in advance!
mira m. white : https://www.miraMwhite.com
Hi, You can use it two ways, 1. Alla Prima where you complete a piece in one sitting 2. As a finishing coat on an acrylic painting, or watercolour. Ive been using my leftover to cover sketchbook pages, stops them sticking together!.
The issues arise if you allow layers to dry, subsequent layers are unstable…