This review is about the 2016 version of the book
Every so often, I come across a book that changes how I think about materials and process. Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin is exactly that kind of book one that doesn’t just teach you how to use a medium, but helps you understand what it means to work with it in a deeper, more intuitive way.
For anyone drawn to the mystery of layered surfaces that interplay of texture, translucency, and history that gives a painting its quiet power, this book is the one. Crowell and McLaughlin are not only skilled painters but also gifted communicators. They guide you through the practical foundations of cold wax painting, mixing and applying the medium, building up and breaking down layers, working with tools, pigment, and solvent. Everything is explained clearly, but always with an underlying respect for the unpredictable nature of the process which is something I am drawn to.
What makes this book stand apart is its blend of technical insight and artistic philosophy. The authors remind us that painting isn’t just about mastering technique it’s about cultivating a mindset of curiosity and openness. Cold wax, they suggest, invites a conversation rather than control. It encourages us to let go of perfection and to engage with texture, mark-making, and surface as living, evolving elements.
The visual quality of the book is very good, photographed examples, full of earthy colour, subtle sheen, and organic structure. Each image feels like a small world in itself, revealing what’s possible when wax, oil, and pigment meet on the edge of chance. There are also artist profiles and “conversations” that provide multiple perspectives on how this medium has evolved into a rich language of abstraction.
For me personally over the past few months, Cold Wax Medium has become a studio companion. I often return to it when I feel a painting getting stuck not just for technical solutions, but for its reminders about patience, intuition, and the power of layered process.
If you’re new to cold wax or simply curious about how painters build depth and atmosphere into their surfaces, this is essential reading. It bridges the gap between a how to guide and artistic meditation, encouraging exploration at every stage.
Highly recommended, not just as a manual, but as an ongoing conversation about what painting can be when you let material and imagination collaborate.
Rebecca and Jerry also run the Cold Wax Academy
Graeme Webb ©️2025
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