Cold wax question

I always enjoy reading The Artist cover to cover and the December 2021 issue has been no exception. I laughed aloud at the end of Lisa Timmerman's fascinating article about oil and cold wax when I read: 'It would only melt if it was on fire, which would be a problem for any painting!' I'm eager to try the oil and wax method Ms Timmerman used but wonder if it's at all possible to use water-soluble oils with the wax? Thank you once again for your beautiful and thoughtprovoking (and occasionally humorous) magazine!

Barb Diltz Chandler, by email

Lisa Timmerman replies: That's a great question – and the answer is yes! Watersoluble oil paints are still oil-based. The oils have just been chemically modified to allow artists to use water instead of turps/ solvent so they are water-soluble rather than water-based. The pigment is still held in place by oil like traditional oil paint so they will work well with cold wax medium. They just won’t be water-soluble anymore as the solvents and waxes used will remain resistant to water. Try using new tools like silicone bowl scrapers, plastic credit cards or similar, rather than brushes, as they are easy to just clean with a wipe.' of painting is that you don’t need a lot of expensive materials – take a 4B pencil, a rubber and a sketch pad and away you go. When you get better you can invest in aquarelle pencils! The enjoyment is in the looking and having fun. I even like sketching the pots and pans on the stove, or opening a cupboard door and sketching the mayhem inside. I never copy work, I always like to create an original (above). Val Gray, New Zealand