Do you like how cold wax and oils make your paintings look, but you usually use acrylic paints? Or maybe you can't use oils anymore? Try using water-based cold wax instead!
You can mix it with your acrylic paints to get similar effects to oils! And the best part? You don't have to worry about harmful chemicals or bad smells. This water-based medium is safer for you and the environment. Plus, it dries much faster than oils, so you won't have to wait weeks for your paintings to dry. You can work quicker and more easily.
With water-based cold wax and acrylics, you can try all sorts of new things with your art. You can create smooth, see-through layers or add interesting textures and details. Let your imagination run wild and have fun experimenting with different colors and techniques!
One of my most asked questions (after 'How long does it take for a layer to dry?) is 'I am an acrylic painter, I can’t stand the smell of oil paint, can I mix cold wax medium with acrylic paints?' And unfortunately the answer is NO, You Can't. But there is a solution! With the water-based cold wax (I use Powerwax) you can create similar effects as with cold wax and oils. Textures, transparency, a beautiful soft finish, all possible!
COMING THIS FALL: A full class on painting with cold wax & acrylics in which you will learn all about the tools, the techniques and more!
This FREE mini-class will give you an introduction to cold wax and acrylics painting while making beautiful mini-flower paintings
The water-based cold wax (I use Powerwax) can be mixed with acrylics, pigments, inks, sand, rust powder and more which makes it a super interesting medium for mixed media and textured painting. It is white in color but dries transparent. Unlike traditional cold wax medium, which are oil-based, Powerwax is water-soluble, making it easier to clean up and work with, especially for artists who prefer to avoid solvents.
In my online class, "Water-Based Cold Wax & Acrylics - The Basics" I’ve created easy-to-follow tutorials about the tools, surfaces, paints, and drawing materials we use. Here’s a quick look at the tools we’ll be working with!
Did you know there's a water-based cold wax that works great with acrylics? It helps create stunning layered and textured paintings. Take a look at my art supply list to see the tools I use to achieve these fantastic effects!
I am so happy that you came to visit me here and I would love to connect with you!
A bit about me: I am a Dutch professional artist, living in the South of France with my family and lovely dog Tessa. I am passionate about painting with cold wax, both for oils and acrylics. My whole creative process changed the day that I discovered these mediums and so will yours!
I’m here to guide you in discovering new techniques and to help you create beautiful textured paintings. My online classes are designed to help you help you become the artist you've always wanted to be. I encourage you to explore and experiment while enjoying the process and without the pressure of making a masterpiece.
"I really encourage you to experiment, to explore the medium, try out the techniques, enjoy the process and not to rush to the final painting.
Don't think about the end result, put on some music and play!
The water-based cold wax I use is called Powerwax, from the company Powertex. In a lot of countries, there is a Powertex representative that sells Powerwax and other Powertex products (rusty powder and bister are one of my favorites!)
Although I make the cold wax medium for oils myself, I don't think the water-based cold wax can be 'home-made'
Not at all! Although many cold wax painters love to do abstracts, I adapted the process to my figurative painting style and do portraits, figures, flowers and more!
This is a huge advantage of working in acrylics and water-based cold wax, the drying time is so much shorter. It depends on your paint and the thickness of your layers but most of the time the layer is dry after one or two hours. If you find that too long, you can add a bit of sand or marble dust to speed up the drying time
Of course, you can create textures with other mediums, but the results will never be quite the same (though that doesn’t mean they’re any less beautiful). Cold wax gives a soft, matte finish to your acrylic paint and makes it beautifully transparent
At the moment Neocolor II's are my absolute favorite!
I use stencils, home made or bought (I love the ones from Stencilgirl!), embossed wall paper which I press into my wet paint, a skewer to scribble, stamps, silicon brushes and more! Check out my YouTube video on the texture tools!