Cold Wax Painting Medium
made in Britain

Fine Art Materials

Cloud study, oils on paper.
'From the findings of his studio equipment it would seem he used wax with his oils'

......in his letter of 5 January 1825 (Beckett, VI, p.189) Constable writes:
I have enclosed in the box a dozen of my Brighton oil sketches-perhaps the sight of the sea may cheer Mrs F-they were done in the lid of my box on my knees as usual.
Will you be so good as to take care of them.
I put them in a book on purpose -as I find dirt destroys them a good deal.
Will you repack the box as you find it.
 Return them to me here at your leisure but the sooner the better". In his letter of [6] April 1825 (Beckett, VI, p. 196)

Fisher speaks of returning the Brighton sketches, and sending with them two volumes of Paley's sermons:
 "They are fit companions for your sketches, being exactly like them: full of vigour, & nature, fresh, original, warm from observation of nature, hasty, unpolished, untouched afterwards".

'Plants growing near a wall' is the title John Constable gave this oil on paper work.
Seems it was painted around 1820, so one of the earliest that the V and A have listed.
The earlier one is Autumnal Sunset this they show as oil on paper painted in 1812.

From research done by conservators, it is known that Constable used glazes (mixed translucent oil paint) in his work, these is little of his impasto style showing here, very painterly, like his watercolours.

From V and A - "It is well known that Constable often painted on thin homemade card (made from two or three pieces of paper glued and pressed together). 
Before he painted on the paper laminate, he applied a coloured 'ground' (an initial coating or priming) to the entire sheet. Constable used the colour of these grounds which were often left visible in places to give a particular atmosphere to his scenes."

These two examples indicate that paper is an excellent surface for Cold Wax and oil paint, over two hundred years old - will today's 'gesso's and acrylic's' look this good after that length of time - I think not.

Using much smaller brushes?

HOME