Creating Oil and Cold Wax Pieces in 5 Hours

Putting down the first layers

I recently returned from teaching at Artiscape, an amazing retreat organized by European Papers. I had so much fun at this retreat in Dublin, Ohio. 

The format of the retreat is to have shorter classes with a five hour maximum. Did I dare have just five hours to teach oil/cold wax painting? Well, I've gotten more daring the older I get, so I went for it and it worked out. Students quickly got it that they needed to work on a whole bunch of pieces at once. They worked on Arches oil paper and stone paper and they learned how to use a solvent to create a looser paint film while still retaining the cold wax look. 

Students also made good use of the techniques of incising into a wet or partially dry paint layer and of scraping back paint with a pottery tool to reveal previous layers. The shiny areas you'll see in some of the pieces were made by adhering Mona Lisa Simple Leaf onto the support using the cold wax as a glue. Some of the pieces incorporate collage, using a variety of lightweight papers.

I didn't do so well at photographing the work, unfortunately. I've made heavy use of the "unsharp mask" filter in many of the images, and there's my shadow quite visible in most pictures. Still, I hope you can get an idea of the boldness and gusto of the class participants!

  One of the best parts of the class is when we tear off the frog tape masking the edges of the painting. (See above and below.)

Here's some bold abandon!

It's important to comb your painting!

Okay, I'm realizing how long this post is going to be. But it's almost all pictures, so keep scrollin' and enjoy the variety of joyous work.

Yes, Virginia, you can add rubber stamping to your piece.

New Name, Same Location

Yachats Storm                    Oil/Cold Wax/Collage on Arches Oil Paper

I've changed the name of this blog to include readers of Wabi-Sabi Painting with Cold Wax as well as readers of my previous book. I hope you will feel free to post questions about materials, processes, etc. and also to share your own inspiration and techniques. 

On my website homepage you can open a page of oil and cold wax resource information. 

A huge thank you to all of you who have read my books and here's hoping for further interesting dialogue!

Wabi-Sabi Process

Coming Through It        Cold Wax/Oil on Wood Panel   24" x 16"

Sometimes it's the process that has a wabi-sabi quality, not just the product. I finished this cold wax painting recently while going through a very difficult time due to the serious illness of a loved one. This piece of wood and paint has undergone so many changes which corresponded with the changes I went through over the several months between starting and completing the piece. 

In the beginning I had a nice multi-layered and multi-colored abstract, mostly in a blue gray. This color was inspired by colors my grandmother used in her house. Memories of her were inspired by going to my uncle's house with my cousins after his funeral in September. While there I opened the large secretary desk that used to be my grandmother's and there was her sweet fragrance. I thought of her a lot after that and made a painting with her colors, though it didn't seem quite finished.

In an effort to finish the piece, I somehow altered it completely. It became more green, and I didn't like it much. My daughter in law came over and I slapped some burnt sienna on the piece just to show her how the process worked. I then added some cheesecloth and some white and buff.

This was during the time when my loved one's illness was causing me great grief. The piece turned into a bleak and misty landscape. I left it for a while.

Again, in trying to finish the piece I changed it. I pulled off the cheesecloth. I was in emotional distress and scraped and tore at and slathered the painting as I grieved. I yelled. After I had emoted enough, I quickly chose a yellow paint/wax mixture and put it on. I incised and scribbled and scraped back. Bits of the previous layers showed through and I saw a new positive and strong message in the piece. That's when I knew I would be all right no matter what happened.

Have you found yourself in a similar process when art making?

Cold Wax Painting for Sor Juana

I did this oil and cold wax painting recently, inspired by the poetry, plays, essays, and life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. I painted it over an old acrylic painting I did of this great writer of Spain's Golden Age. I loved the wabi-sabi process of recycling this wood panel while keeping the essence of the original painting.

La Ruespuesta     20" x 16"

Inspired by Desert

The weeks since my vacation in New Mexico have flown by. The happy hours I spent watching the majestic scenery from the passenger window have remained with me. I didn't plan it, but this new piece carries the spirit of the amazing rock formations we saw in Moab, Utah on the way home.

Moab   Cold Wax and Oil on Panel  10" x 8" x 1.5" 

A reader recently asked about cold wax, as I've been posting a lot of pieces done in cold wax and oil. Good question! 

In my book, I mention cold wax medium as an excellent sealant for paintings and collages. (Page 21) and for use with oil paint on plaster (Pages 46-49.)  I'll be going to the North Light Headquarters early next month to film two DVDS on wabi-sabi art making. One of these will show you a lot more about how to use cold wax!

Cold wax is a mixture of melted beeswax and mineral spirits which has been mixed together and allowed to harden into a soft paste. It makes a delicious medium to use with oil paint and powdered pigment. Unlike hot wax, or encaustic, it takes a long time to dry, so it's good to work on several pieces at once. You can incise and scrape to reveal previous layers and make unlimited textures. I'll keep you posted on the progress of the DVDs!