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Writer's pictureKatie ORourke - Artist

Cold Wax and Oil Paint


"Mount Mansfield" Cold wax and oil on a wood panel

Oh do I have it bad. I think I'm in love. I am obsessed with landscape art and I am enraptured with cold wax! Who knew? I didn't even know what cold wax was until last month. I was surfing around on instagram and came across some landscape paintings that really captured my heart. What was I looking at and how the heck did they paint that?! Of course I immediately went to YouTube to see what cold wax was and how to use it.


Turns out cold wax is a medium used with oil paints. Cold wax is a soft paste made up of beeswax, mineral spirits and resin. You simply mix it with your oil paints and apply it to your canvas with palette knives, rubber spatulas, silicone shapers and rubber brayers. I haven't used a paint brush yet! Once applied you can go back in and scratch off paint and expose the under layers.


Hours later I was home rummaging through my closet looking for all my old oil paints. Oil paints last a lifetime or two. A cup of boiling hot water and a pair of pliers had those baked on oil paint caps off in no time. Thankfully the art store right below my studio carries Williamsburg cold wax and oil painting paper.



These are just a few of the paintings I have completed in the last few weeks. I really enjoy working with this medium and look forward to improving my skills and letting go! I encourage you all to go out and and try something new this week. So many times we let fear hold us back or money! For those of you interested in cold wax I found a great video by Jaime Byrd "How to get started with cold wax and oil for under $100", check it out!

Please share any thoughts with me I love to hear your feedback!

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