Gamblin's Cold Wax Medium

[Debra “Kate” Powell]

I wanted to mitigate the possibility of smudging when sending my postcards,
so I coated them with a thin coat of Gamblin’s Cold Wax Medium.

I used my fingers to apply (do so at your own risk after reading the MSDS).

It darkens the colors just a bit — barely noticeable.
Don’t rub too much or you may rub your watercolor, though I have not yet.
A thin coat covers and dries within a couple of hours or less.

I do not know the long-lasting effects of the cold wax on the watercolors,
though I know it is archival for oil paint mediums.

Just remember that after you use this, you can’t use your fountain pens
over the top of the wax — so write on the front before you apply!

I’ve heard others say they use a similar product in their sketchbooks,
but I’ve not tried this — I am afraid of the pages sticking together.
Anyone else use cold wax mediums in sketchbooks?

[Sandra Strait]

I’ve never used Gamblin’s wax medium.  I used a product from Judi-kins called Microglaze which contains paraffinic oils and waxes and is, I believe, essentially cold wax.  I’ve also used a paint mixed with wax rub from Viva, called Inka Gold.  It does contain beeswax and looks, feels and smells like wax.  It’s very translucent, just adding a metallic shine with a hint of color.  I’ve never had a problem with pages sticking or anything, including watercolor, lift from the page.

If you google watercolor and cold wax, or art journaling and cold wax, you can find several videos and articles, so it is a fairly common technique.  I like this video where cold wax products are used to prevent sticky pages.

 

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Sandra Strait.

[Darina Valášková]

Thank you Sandra. Verry useful information.

[Debra “Kate” Powell]

Thanks Sandra… I thot I was being so clever!

[Sandra Strait]

Well, you were being clever, Kate! Just because someone else already had the idea, doesn’t mean you aren’t every bit as inventive if you come up with the same idea.

 

[Sandra Strait]

Thank you, Darina!

 

[Susan Cuss]

Angela Fehr mounts some of her watercolours on wood and uses a wax finish.

I have also used matte medium on a gel plate for coating some of my watercolours. Because I spread it on the gel plate first and just press the w/c into the plate, there’s no removing of the paint as there would be by brushing it on.

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