What is Water-Based Cold Wax Medium?
If you're an artist who loves experimenting with different mediums, you may have heard of a cold wax for acrylic painters. This cold wax is called Powerwax and is a water-based cold wax from Powertex. I have been painting with it lately and discovered that you can create similar effects as with the cold wax medium that we mix into our oils.
What is Powerwax?
PowerWax is a water-based wax that 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.
It has a bit of a creamy consistency, it doesn’t have the waxy feeling of the oil-based cold wax medium.
The advantage is that the layers dry rather fast, compared to the oil and cold wax medium. Ideal for short projects (like my mini-portrait challenge) and impatient artists!
How I use Powerwax:
I use Powerwax as I use the cold wax medium, by mixing it with my acrylics at a 50/50 ratio and I continue to apply it in the next layers. After speaking with a Powertex representative, I learned that Powerwax is mostly applied in the final layer to create a glossy, transparent finish that can be buffed once dry.
Substrates:
You can paint on cardboard, canvas, paper, ceramic, metal, glass, and wood.
Tools:
You can use the same tools as with cold wax and oil painting: bowl scraper, palette knife, brayer, brushes, fingers, and more! Additionally, for creating textures, you can use a skewer, bubble wrap, stamps, stencils, or anything else you can find in and around your house!
Conclusion
I must admit that at first, I didn’t quite like the water-based cold wax as it has a somewhat plastic finish, lacking the depth and transparency you can achieve with oils and cold wax. However, as I've continued to paint with it, I've discovered it to be a fun medium with numerous possibilities, which I intend to explore further! Of course, oil and cold wax medium will always be my first love, but there's always room for something new!
If you have tried the Powerwax and acrylics, I would love to hear your findings and see your paintings!
The Texture Lab
If you enjoy exploring texture and mixed media, you might also love The Texture Lab, my upcoming membership. It will be a place for creative experiments, lessons, and inspiration. Join the waitlist HERE
Don't forget to check out my online mini-class: A Figure in Powerwax and Acrylics
As always, don’t hesitate to ask me questions, I would love to connect with you!💙
